It was this hidden gem on the back alley path to my flat, next to "Hole in the Wall", that served me my first Indian meal. There was a mysterious man who, no matter the time of day, was always floating around outside the entrance. He would smile, nod his head and without ever saying it welcome me into his restaurant. I have to admit, I was skeptical at first. It took me some time to actually step through those doors, but let me tell you - once I did, there was no going back.
And here I am now, living in Chicago - deprived again of Indian food. So, in memory of London and in celebration of my new home - I'm combining what each city does best. Comfort and culture.
Curry Turkeyballs
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup dried plain breadcrumbs
2 tbsp. olive oil
Directions:
Combine all ingredients, except olive oil, in a bowl. Then roll into individual meatballs.
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook meatballs until browned on all sides.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Arrange meatballs in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake in oven until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Serve alongside with coconut rice and a side bowl of cilantro chutney, recipes follow.
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Coconut Rice
Ingredients:
2 cups jasmine rice
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup light coconut milk
1 tsp. kosher salt
Directions:
Rinse rice.
Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over high heat until boiling.
Stir and reduce the heat to low and cover with lid. (TFD: To avoid soggy rice, wrap a dishtowel around the lid. This prevents the condensation that forms on the lid from falling back on the rice.)
Cook until all liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes.
Fluff with fork before dishing up and serving.
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Cilantro Chutney
Ingredients:
1 bunch of cilantro, washed
3 green chiles, chopped and seeds removed*
2 tbsp. ginger, minced
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. whole cumin seeds**
*CLH: I like to keep some of the seeds because I like it hot. Duh.
**TFD: I was out of cumin seeds, so I substituted this ingredient with 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a food processor, until everything is well chopped. If you are working with a smaller food processor, you will need to add cilantro in batches.
Serve as dipping sauce for the turkeyballs.
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