C&C Eating Factory

If variety is the spice of life, then make mines extra spicy!

I think I was about 19 when I first had Indian food. There used to be this little hole in the wall buffet called “Tandoori’s” close to the house we used to live in during college. Someday, if you are at one of our beerfest parties down at J’s lake house, you can hear all about Delta Rice and how we used to have massive dance parties with DJ’s, cops on horseback that go dookie on our driveway, disappearing kegs, and beats so bumpin’ that if you stood in the room under the dance floor you could actually see the floor bend, making the hanging light sway. For real, that S happened….so, typically after one of those parties you go to bed with one foot on the floor to keep the room from spinning aaaannnnd you wake up feeling like you spent all night chewing on your own tongue. The tragedy of youth well spent. After waking up at the crack of noon, we would manage to walk over to Tandoori’s and just go to town on goat curry, butter chicken and Paneer Matar. I swear the employees saw us walking in and thought “Oh sh*t! We should have stayed home.” That location stayed open from the mid 90’s until just about last year making it one of the longest running establishments I have ever seen up on the Ave by UW. I’d like to think all the money we spent there in college bank rolled their future success, but we never tipped that well, so probably not. Over the years, me and my boy Ton would go there every so often and the quality never dropped, it just became victim to Seattle’s never ending love for high priced condos. I’ll never forget the day we went by and saw the “closed for good” sign on the door. It was like saying goodbye to an old friend knowing you will never see them again. I was actually sad for about a week because I knew part of our friendship history was gone forever. Then I kind of snapped out of it and realized I can just start trying to make my own curry. I have dabbled in Paneer Matar making my own cheese, messed around with Tikka Masala spice and burned the spit off my tongue, then finally arrived at the one dish that everyone can make really easily. I don’t know that you will find it on any menu but I know I love curry and I love coconut milk so I brought the two together and they had one tasty baby. So without further delay….

Curry up dude, I’m starving!!

3 chicken thighs cut into thirds. I used bone in, skin on to add more flavor
2 large yellow potatoes rough chopped
½ onion rough chopped
1 pack of Golden Curry
1 can coconut milk
½ cup water (I used coconut juice but regular water is fine)
2 big scoops of Ghee (or butter)

In large deep pan at medium high heat place ghee and stir until it’s melted. Lower temp to medium and add in potatoes and onions and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often so all sides are coated in the ghee. Next add the chicken and cook until all sides are browned. Add in the coconut milk and curry squares and cook until boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer until chicken is cooked and potatoes are soft, about 45 minutes. You want to open the lid and stir every so often to dissolve the curry. About half way through cooking pour in the water too, it helps with the dissolving. Just watch out for steam, it will get you if you aren’t quick. Next, remove from heat, uncover, and let cool for about 10 minutes. Serve over steamed rice. If you have bismanti, that is preferred but jasmine rice works just fine too.

If you plant an egg, you get…one less egg!

One medium eggplant cut into thin strips
1.5 tbsp. Tikka Masala
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 scoop ghee (or butter)

In a frying pan on high heat, place Tikka Masala and salt in first and heat for about 2 minutes. I saw somewhere on some Travel Channel show that if you heat the spices first, it’s supposed to release more flavor and smell. I don’t know if that worked for this dish because I have a broken nose so subtle odors escape me. But I did notice the flavor was a bit more vibrant so there may be something to it. Bet you didn’t know I was a Science minority in college did you? Ok, so what you do after that is put in the ghee and let it melt. Then slide in the eggplant slices and cook until tender, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and put on your plate. Pour some of the remaining spiced ghee over the eggplant.

I don’t really get to make curry in my house that often. Those I cohabitate with don’t share my love of curries and you can’t make just a little bit of it. So, if I make this stuff I need to either give some away, or have friends over who will eat it up. I love spicy food and curry for me is one of those comfort foods that brings back those hung over glory days where I had more time and less weight. As the holidays get closer, I kind of turn all sappy and sentimental but don’t worry, it doesn’t last, eventually I snap out of it and remember that tears in my beers is how bad country songs start. Ok well, if you try this one, have fun, take your time, and I catch you later.