Pepper Chicken Dry Curry

This quick and easy dry curry relies on fresh curry leaves and toasted black pepper for its flavor, so don't try to leave either out. The small amount of pan juices are delicious mixed into plain rice. 

2 chicken breasts, cut in 1" pieces 
1/4 tsp turmeric 
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground cumin 
1/2 tsp ground coriander 
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt 
1 Tbsp oil
2 tsp black peppercorns
2 Tbsp coconut oil 
1 red onion, chopped 
20-25 fresh curry leaves 

Mix turmeric, garam masala, cumin, coriander, salt and oil in a quart-sized zip-top bag. Add chicken pieces. Seal and squeeze to coat chicken with spice mixture. Allow to marinate, refrigerated, for at least 1 hour.

When ready to cook, place a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add peppercorns; toast, stirring, until fragrant. Remove to a mortar and pestle; crush coarsely. 

In the same skillet, heat coconut oil. Add onion; cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown. Push onions to one side of skillet; add curry leaves to oil and cook briefly until popping subsides. Add chicken pieces in a single layer. Cook for 3 minutes without disturbing, then flip and scatter onion mixture over top of chicken. Cooked side of chicken should be browned. Cook another 3 minutes or until chicken tests at 165° with an instant-read thermometer. Sprinkle coarsely crushed pepper over chicken; stir. Add salt to taste and serve with plain rice. 

Poha

This recipe is quick, vegetable-heavy, and quite adaptable based on what you have in your fridge. Poha is commonly served for breakfast, but also makes a nice snack. 

1 Tbsp neutral oil or coconut oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 sprig curry leaves (optional)
pinch asafetida
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 c)
1" piece ginger, peeled & coarsely grated
2 green chiles (to taste), minced
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
3 c red poha
1/2 tsp turmeric
2-3 carrots, diced
1 c veg of your choice: seeded/diced poblano pepper, small cauliflower florets, cut green beans, etc.
1 c peas
1 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1 tsp Morton kosher salt, or 3/4 tsp table salt 
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice (to taste)
1/3 c minced cilantro 

Have all vegetables chopped and ready. 

In a wide skillet with a lid, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mustard seeds; immediately cover. When popping subsides, add cumin seeds. When beginning to brown, add curry leaves (they will crackle) and asafetida. Almost immediately, add onion; stir to coat with oil and spices. Turn heat down to medium. When onion is softened and beginning to brown, add ginger and green chiles. Stir, then add potatoes. Stir to coat, then shake pan so vegetables settle into a single layer. Cover and cook a few minutes. 

While vegetables cook, place poha in a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse under running water, tossing poha with your hand, until thoroughly coated. Set strainer with poha aside over a bowl. 

Uncover vegetables; add turmeric, stir in, then add carrots. Cook a few minutes, then add veg of your choice. Cook a couple of minutes, add peas, and cook 2 minutes. Salt vegetables to taste and stir. 

Add poha, stirring to break up. Poha will turn yellow and visibly change texture, becoming fluffy. When fully cooked, season with lemon juice and cilantro. Remove from heat; serve with plain Greek yogurt. 

Arroz Verde

While this rice often includes roasted poblano chiles, I've chosen to use tomatillos. You can roast and peel your own, but canned tomatillos are easy and still very flavorful. 

2 c basmati rice
1 28-oz can tomatillos, drained & pureed
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 c diced onion
1 serrano chile, minced
1 tsp ground cumin 
1 1/2 c chicken broth
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 c minced cilantro

Wash basmati rice twice and spread out on a clean kitchen towel to dry. 

While rice dries, melt butter in Instant Pot. Add onion; saute, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown. Add minced chiles; cook a moment, stirring, then add cumin. Stir; cook 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. 

Add rice; stir to coat with butter. Pour in pureed tomatillos and chicken broth. Season with salt; stir to incorporate. Cook 4 minutes on HIGH and let pressure release naturally. Fluff with a fork; stir in cilantro. Makes about 5 cups cooked rice. 

Instant Pot Jambalaya

 2 Tbsp oil, divided
4 chicken andouille sausages (such as Amylu), sliced on bias
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into largish pieces
1 yellow onion, diced
1 poblano chile, seeded and diced 
3 scallions, whites and greens separated, sliced on bias
3 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried basil
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 c basmati or other long-grain rice
1 14-5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 3/4 c chicken broth 

Turn instant pot to saute setting. Add oil. Once hot, add sausage, cooking until browned, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. 

Add remaining oil to the pot. Add the chicken; cook 1 minute, scraping up browned bits. Add onions, scallion whites, poblano chile, celery and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add spices, sugar, salt and rice; cook, stirring, until fragrant. 

Add tomatoes, chicken broth and salt. Cook on manual high pressure for 5 minutes with a 5-minute natural pressure release.

Fluff rice with a fork. Add sausages; let rest for a few minutes. Sprinkle with scallion greens and serve. 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This recipe uses two shortcuts: chile paste instead of soaking and blending chiles, and the same corn masa used to make tortillas instead of blending stale corn tortillas with stock. 

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 c chopped onion
4 cloves garlic
1 lb shredded rotisserie chicken
14-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
14-oz can black beans
3 Tbsp Herdez pasilla chile paste
1/3 c instant corn masa, such as Maseca
4 c chicken broth
Juice of 2 limes 
Salt and pepper to taste 
For serving: tortilla strips, avocado, cilantro

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 4-6 minutes or until onion is softened. Add garlic; stir a moment or two. Add tomatoes, beans and 3 cups broth. Bring to a boil.

While soup comes to a boil, mix corn masa with remaining 1 cup broth until smooth. 

Add pasilla chile paste, stirring until dissolved. Add masa mixture to simmering soup, stirring until dissolved. Simmer until soup thickens. Remove from heat; add lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes about 8 cups.