Slow Cooker Indonesian chicken in peanut-butter sauce

I simply love peanut butter and relish any dish having it. The combination of peanut butter and soya sauce makes me feel happy and satisfied. I was introduced to Indonesian food in USA, never had it back in India and instantly became a fan of this cusine. This recipe in slow cooker is perfect for a lazy cook and peanut butter - chicken fan like me!

One of the main characteristics of Indonesian cuisine is the wide application of peanuts in many Indonesian signature dishes, Introduced from Mexico by Portuguese and Spanish merchants in 16th century, peanuts assumed a place within Indonesian cuisine as a key ingredient. Peanuts thrived in the tropical environment of Southeast Asia, and today they can be found, roasted and chopped finely, in many recipes. Bumbu kacang or peanut sauce represents a sophisticated, earthy seasoning.

Ingredient:

8 skinless chicken thighs (preferable)  or drum sticks (about 1 1/2 lb)
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce 
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar (preferable) or plain vinegar
some chopped chives (for garnish)
some chopped peanuts (for garnish)

Directions:

Place the chicken, onions and garlic in the slow cooker. in a small bowl, combine water, peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger and chili flakes. 
Pour on top of chicken. 
Cover and cook on low for  6 hours (or high for 3 hours), or until chicken is cooked.
Add wine vinegar. Cover and continue cooking on low for 10 more minutes. 
Serve with some chives and peanuts on top.
Serve it with noodles or Jasmine rice.

Slow cooker Chingrir Malaikari ( Prawns in coconut milk sauce)

Chingrir Malai Curry is a dish from Bengal and the 'Ghoti' repertoire. Ghotis are Bengalis from West Bengal and Bangals form the East Bengal. What is now known as Bangladesh . Chingri is bengali word for Prawns, Malai' stands for coconut milk and kari is the bengali version of curry.

Although some say that malai stands for Malay and the dish was brought back by Bengali immigrants to Malaysia during the British rule.

• Ingredients:

• 
  

• Prawns(big/medium size) : 500 gm.(deveined and tails on)

• Onions : 2(medium)

• Ginger-garlic paste : 2 tblsp.(1/2 inch ginger + 2 small cloves of garlic)

• Green chilli : 1 (slitted)

• Coconut milk : 2/3 cup

• Turmeric powder : 2 tsp.(1 tsp. for marinating prawns and 1tsp. in gravy)

• Red chilli powder : 2 tsp.(as per taste)

• Sugar : 1 tsp.

• Salt to taste

• Oil : 2 tbsp.

• 
  

• Whole spices:

• Bay leaves : 2-3

• Cardamoms : 4

• Cinnamon : 2(1 inch stick)

• Cloves : 5-6

Direction

Clean the prawns and mix it with turmeric and salt and keep aside.
Grind the onion to a paste. 
In a skillet , heat oil over medium heat. 
Add onion  and stir-fry until softened , about 3 minutes. Add the spices in the same oil and cook for a minute . Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes. 
Transfer to slow cooker. 
Add shrimp and coconut milk.
 Add the remaining ingredients. 
Cover and cook on high for 2 hrs, until shrimp are pink and opaque and the gravy thickens and acquires a creamy consistency. 
Serve with Plain rice or Pulav (Rice Pilaf).

Slow Cooker Shahi Gobi (cauliflower in spicy sauce)

Shahi Gobi is a Moghlai dish which is mostly served in special occasions and weddings in India. It has  a very rich gravy and is generally spicy.

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower, divided into florets

1 onion, sliced
4 cloves of garlic 
piece of ginger 
1/2 tsp sugar
1 large sized tomato or 2 Tsp Tomato paste
1/2 cup  milk
2 tbsp  cream
3 tbsp refined oil
1 tbsp sugar
salt to taste

Spices

2 cardamoms 
4 cloves 
2 bayleaves 
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp cumin powder
2tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tbsp popy seeds or fistful cashew 
1 tsp chilli powder

For the Garnish
3 tbsp chopped corriander 
4 Almonds cut in pieces


Direction:

Take the cauliflower florets and apply salt and turmeric. Generally I saute the cauliflower in other recipes but in this recipe, I don't want it burnt so set the oven temperature to 400 degrees and put the cauliflower in a bake sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Grind the poppy seeds/cashew and the onion together.
Puree the tomato or if you have paste then dilute the paste a little ( it should not be liquid, it should be still a paste) with water so that it is easy to mix in the slow cooker.
Heat the oil and fry the onion and poppy seed paste until golden. Add the cardamoms, cloves, bay leaves and sugar and fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
Put the cauliflower in the bottom of the slow cooker and then put the spice mixture, tomato puree/paste and milk. Mix it well.
Then put the cream and sugar. 
Cook for 2 hrs on high/
Garnish with the coriander.
Serve hot with Basmati rice and Tarka Dal .

Slow Cooker Massaman Lamb Curry

According to one theory, it originated in central Thailand at the court of Ayutthaya in the 16th century through a Persian envoy and trader. According to another theory, it originated in southern Thailand probably because of its contacts with Arab traders. Due to its Muslim roots and therefore Islamic dietary laws, this curry is most commonly made with beef, but can also be made with lamb, duck, tofu, and chicken.

The flavoring for Massaman curry is called Massaman curry paste (nam phrik kaeng matsaman). Traders brought spices such as turmeric, cinnamon, star anise, cumin, cloves and nutmeg from Indonesia to the south coast of Thailand. The dish is served with rice and sometimes with pickled ginger.

Ingredients
1 tbs peanut oil
2 large onions, cut into wedges
2 lbs lamb
salt
1 can coconut milk
3/4-1 cup massaman curry paste (bought or made, see below recipe for paste)
4 cinnamon sticks
4 bay leaves
4 potatoes, peeled and diced 
2 tbs sugar
2 tbs tamarind paste 
4 tbs roasted peanuts, crushed
3 sprigs coriander, chopped

Directions:
Trim meat of excess fat and cut into 2-3 cm cubes
Heat the oil in a heavy-based pot and fry the onion until brown.
Add the meat, season, and continue till it is brown all over.
Put the potatoes on the bottom of the slow cooker.
Pour the lamb on top of the potatoes.
Add curry paste, heat through until fragrant. Add the coconut milk, cinnamon and bay leaves and cook on low, covered, for 8 hours.
In the last hour, season to taste with palm sugar and tamarind paste. 
Garnish with peanuts and coriander and serve with steamed basmati or jasmine rice.



Massaman paste recipe
Ingredients
4 pods cardamom
2-inch piece cinnamon sticks
5 cloves
1 tbs coriander
1 tbs cumin
2 tsp chili powder 
1 head garlic
1 stalk lemongrass or 2 tsp lemon zest
1/3 tbs peppercorns
1 tbs salt
2 small shallots
1 tsp shrimp paste (optional)
1 Nutmeg (optional)

Direction
Saute the garlic and onion and then put all the ingredients including the onion and garlic in the grinder. The Massaman paste should be dark red from roasted ingredients.  It should be finely ground and fragrant. Beware while opening the grinder lid, sometimes the spices can be a little overpowering

Chef's Notes
Use the large California chili peppers to get the flavor and color but not the heat. Massaman curry should be spicy but not hot.

Slow Cooker Hyderabadi Kachi Biryani

INDIA

The apartment block I grew up in, at Mumbai had a wonderful mix of Muslim families. There were Bohris, Khojas and Sunnis.. oooh the variety of delicious food! Every Eid was a smorgasbord of wonderful food. Sheer Khorma, daal gosht, saalans, kebabs, and of course biryani! We just took it for granted that we would be part of the celebrations. Not only did we go over and stuff ourselves, other families also sent special preparations cooked up in their kitchens. Life was wonderful.

photo courtesy- google images

Along the years I have learned a lot about different types of biryani from my own experience and from my mother off course! 

A good biryani must be savory, not spicy; fragrant, not pungent; it should stimulate and titillate your tongue, not set it on fire, make your mouth water, not your nose and eyes!

HOW TO JUDGE  BIRYANI

Try the spread test. Pick a little biryani in your fingers and sprinkle it on an empty plate. The grains of rice must not stick together but remain separate. The pieces of meat must be succulent,clear and moist, not greasy. It must be slightly aromatic, not sharp or piquant. 

  

Asian Slow Cooking

HISTORY
Biryani was brought to India by the Moguls in the early 16th century and so is originally a Persian dish - and indeed there are Persian (Iran/Iraq) variants. Nizams of Hyderabad who split from the Mogul empire in 1707 ruled the Hyderabad state until Indian independence in 1947 were connoisseurs of pretty much everything; literature, art, jewelry and, of course, exquisite food. Among other dishes in the Nizam's kitchen there were biryani experts and prepared about 50 different varieties of biryani. There are two distinct styles of preparation for your lamb biryani, kacchi and pakki. Kacchi means 'raw' and that the meat and rice are cooked together. In the pakki style, the meat is cooked first and then the put together with cooked rice.

Asian Slow Cooking

RECIPE

Ingredients                                            Direction

• 1/2 lb basmati rice
  2 lbs lamb
  
  2 onions - chopped
  
  1/2 tsp saffron
  
  1 cup milk
  
  Juice of 1 lemon
  
  Fresh green coriander - chopped
  
  2 green chilies - chopped
  
  1 Tbsp refined oil
  
  For the Marinade:
  
  2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  
  1 tsp turmeric powder
  
  1 1/2 cup curd
  
  1 tsp red chili powder
  
  Salt to taste
  
  
  Spices for the Lamb:
  
  4 cloves
  
  1" cinnamon
  
  1 bay leaf
  
  2 green cardamoms
  
  1 black cardamom
  
  1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  
  
  Whole spices for rice:
  
  2 cloves
  
  1/2 " cinnamon
  
  2 green cardamoms
  
  Salt - to taste
  
  
  For the Dum:
  
  Dough made of wheat flour and water
• 
  

  Soak the basmati rice in water for 20 minutes to half an hour. 

  
  Marinate the lamb with curd, turmeric, salt, chilly powder and ginger-garlic paste. Grind all the spices for the lamb in a mortar and add to the marinade. Leave the lamb to marinate for an hour minimum or up to four hours. 

  
  

  
  
  

  Heat 2 Tbsp of refined oil in a pan. Saute the onions, till they turn golden brown. Keep aside. 

  
  

  
  

  Put the milk into a saucepan and heat till tepid. Add the saffron and stir till the milk takes on the color of saffron. Keep aside.
  

  
  

  In a saucepan put 1 tbsp oil and heat. Add the lamb and cook on high heat till lamb takes on a light brown color and is half cooked.
  
  Make a layer of lamb then layer it with the brown onion. Now layer it with the rice and add another layer of onion. Sprinkle the coriander leaves.
  
  Pour in the saffron infused milk over the rice and add the lemon juice .
  
  
  
  

  
  

  

  Asian Slow Cooking

  
  
  Cover the vessel and make long snake off the dough by rolling in on the counter and use it to seal the top of the slow cooker lid. 
  
  

  

  Asian Slow Cooking

  
  
  
  Cook for 8 hrs on low. It is generally better if you cook in low but if you are in a hurry you can cook in high for 4 hrs. 

Chefs Notes:
Instead of the dough you can also cover it with foil. Just put the foil and cover the lid the foil should be at-least one inch outside the lid and do not make perforations in the foil the idea is to cook in dum. The word "dum" means that the biryani is cooked by baking the rice with the meat and spices in a large pot. Instead of lamb you can also use goat meat or beef if you wish.

Slow Cooker Cholar Daler Murgi (Chicken Curry with Chickpea Lentils)

Cholar Dal also referred as chana dal, is not a everyday dal. It is generally made to glamorize your dining table with when you have company. It is a staple in Bengali weddings and is usually best when served with luchi. Cholar Daler Murgi is a unique dish, an attempt to amalgamate two best ingredients to form a very tasty and classy dish. 

INGREDIENT

1 cup Chana dal, chick pea lentils (Soaked for 3 hrs).
6 chicken thighs, 
1 cup minced red onion
3 tbsp mustard oil
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 cup chopped raw mango
1 cup chopped Roma tomato
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp paprika
1 jalapeno, chopped
salt to taste
4 cups water


DIRECTION

In a Pan pour 2 tbsp of mustard oil and fry the onions till golden then add the spices and tomato and saute for two minutes. In a slow cooker  add all the ingredients (make sure that you add chicken as the final ingredient). Cook for 6 hours on low.  Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with puri or plain rice.

CHEFS NOTES
You can substitute the raw mango with raw mango powder or Amchur powder available in any Indian stores. You may also substitute the water with the water in which chickpea lentil was soaked.

Slow Cooker Srilankan Polos Curry (Green Jack Fruit curry)

Historically, the jackfruit has always enjoyed the status of a holy tree in Sri Lanka. Named baat gasa or ‘rice tree’ it is said to have saved Lankans from hunger in a crisis. Jackfruit has social and religious connotations in Sri Lanka too. Interestingly, polos curry is so popular in Sri Lanka that it almost seems to be a ‘national dish.’ Everybody, from roadside restaurants to five-star hotels, serves it. 

INGREDIENTS
3 cans of Young Green Jack fruit
2 medium onions, chopped
1-2 green chilies
2 tsp garlic, chopped
2 tsp ginger, chopped
4-5  curry leaves (optional)
1-2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2-3 tsp curry powder
3-4 cardamoms
3-4 cloves
1-inch piece of cinnamon
2 tsp Tamarind paste
1 can of coconut milk
salt to taste

DIRECTION
Fry the onions, green chilies, ginger, garlic, and curry leaves in about 1 tbsp of oil, till golden brown. Next add all the spices, fry for a minute till fragrant.
Remove the Jack fruits from the can and pat dry. Then saute for 5 minutes
Transfer the spice mixture and jack fruit to a slow cooker, add coconut milk. Stir and cook on low heat for 8 hours. The curry would turn a dark brown color when done. (I usually let it cook overnight, although I have a programmable slow cooker.)
Serve with hot rice.

Slow Cooker Jasha Maroo (Minced Chicken in Tomato gravy)

((

This is one of the favorite dishes in Bhutan. I like to have this dish in a rainy day like soup watching Masterpiece mystery in PBS.

INGREDIENTS:

1 chicken
1 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2.5 cm (1 in) cube of ginger, crushed or julienned
1 onion, sliced
1 tomato, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 chilies, diced (variable preference)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt

CHEFS NOTES

This dish may be a little hot to decrease it skip the chili powder.

DIRECTION:

Cut chicken into very small pieces about the size of peas (remove or leave bones as desired)
The bones allow a greater flavor and one way of managing the bone issue is to remove them from the cooked dish prior to serving.
Place chicken and tomato in slow cooker and add chicken stock.
Add rest of the ingredients and Cook on low for 8 hrs or high for 3 hrs
The dish should have some liquid when cooked. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with rice. or have as soup.

Slow Cooker Avial (Vegetable stew with coconut)

Avial is considered an essential part of the Sadya the Keralian vegetarian feast. It is one of the essential dish for Onam a keralian Festival. 

It is supposed to have been invented by Bhima (one of the Pandava brothers) during their exile. According to the legend, when Ballav (Bhima's name during this time) assumed his duties as the cook in the kitchen of Virata, he did not know how to cook. One of the first things he did was to chop up many different vegetables, boil them together and top the dish with grated coconut. There are mythological variations. Bheema is said to have prepared Avial, when there were unexpected guests for King Virata and he needed to serve meals for them. There was no sufficient vegetables to cook any single recipe for side dish, so Bheema used what ever available vegetables to make a new dish, which came to know as Avial.

INGREDIENTS

2 carrots peeled and cut into 1/4 inch rounds
1 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
1 green plantain, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 cup green beans french cut
4 small egg plants chopped to halves
1 cup yam
1 cup drumsticks
10 fresh curry leaves
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 cup groundcocnut
6 green chilies, seeded and minced
1 tsp. cuminseeds
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 cup water
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS
Combine all the vegetables in slow cooker.  I prefer to put carrot and plantain first and then other vegetables  Mix the spices with curd and water and add to slow cooker.
Add the coconut on top.
Cook for 8 hrs on low.
Serve with hot rice .

CHEF'S  NOTES
This turned out a bit dry for me.  If you want it to be a curry, add 1 cup of yogurt instead of 1/2 cup.

If you refer my recipe and make  them today,Please leave me a comment how it turned out. It will motivate me to write more recipes.