Growing up in a typical South Indian Telugu household, most of the day-to-day foods we ate were mostly the bread-and-butter pappu’s (lentils) and southern curries. North Indian preparations, like their excellent Chicken curries, were reserved for special occasions when my mom wanted to try something new, or for when we went out to eat. I looked forward to those meals and always promised myself that when I grew up and became an adult myself, I would have such food every day.

As an adult, however, I quickly realized that it was wasn’t healthy for either my body or my wallet to eat restaurant-made North Indian curries very often, and the best way to meet my cravings for these curries was to prepare them at home. However, given the complexity involved in cooking some of these items, we usually resort to pre-made (the horror!) masala mixes to whip up a quick curry whenever we want to.

Now, while this may seem like blasphemy to the usual Indian canon of healthy cooking from scratch, I distinctly remember that even my mom sometimes resorted to using spice mixes just to avoid having to put together and grind each of the dozen or so spices that give each curry a distinctive flavor. Modern mix packets just take this step a bit further by also included oil and salt in the mix; advanced science allowing for vaccum-packing of such mixes without using much, if any, preservatives or additional junk. The preparation just calls for adding the mix, along with some water or milk, along with the meat or vegetables of your choice to a saucepan, heating for the recommended time and getting a piping hot curry onto the table within 15-20 mins. Quickie Cooking at its finest!

So seek out these packets as your local Indian grocer; Parampara and Sanjeev Kapoor make some of the best tasting mixes which don’t contain too much unneccessary filling. Given the simplicity involved in putting these curries together, I decided to put in a tiny bit of extra effort and upping the health-quotient of these dishes by adding in some fresh or frozen vegetables – this helps counter any extra sodium in the mix, while also adding some texture and freshness to the curry. This week we tried the Chicken Kolhapur – a Maharashtrian dish with a spicy, dark sauce.

These packets are a god-send for young cooks just learning to make Indian food - whether you are a new bride trying to impress your H1B-husband, a young bachelor surviving on Indian take-out, or a busy working mom trying to serve something new, but quick, for your brood, you can pick up a bunch of these and try out a different curry every week. As you progress, you will quickly find out which combination of vegetables you like with each curry, and which other little steps you can take to make the curry more home-made – a dash of cream at the end, some fresh coriander leaves cut up for garnish, pre-marinating the chicken in some yogurt to soften ahead of time – the possibilities are endless!

The Kolhapur curry, given the spiciness and pungent sauce, called out for a mixture of green beans, carrots and peas to lessen the heat a bit. We added in a little cream to thicken the sauce, so the wifey could eat the thick curry with rotis while I mixed it in with my yogurt rice. Since there is no hint of tomato in this curry, the rich, deep spiciness permeated through the meat and really made the tongue tingle. I believe this dish ranks as one of the 10 most popular Maharashtrian dishes – although I am sure they cook it a lot more spicier, and with a lot more gravy, than we even would!

You can follow the recipe given on the back of the packet, or use the one we customized for a lower-fat, more fresh version below:

THE RECIPE: QUICKIE COOKING CHICKEN KOLHAPURI

YOU’LL NEED:

• 1 packet Parampara Ready to Cook Chicken Kolhapur mix
• 1lb boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 big yellow onion, sliced
• 1/4lb frozen mixed vegetables (we liked a mix of green beans, carrots and peas)
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbslp vegetable oil

THE METHOD:

• In a large saucepan, add the oil and saute the onions on medium-high heat till tender, about 5 mins.
• Add the chicken pieces and saute for about 5 mins till the chicken pieces turn brown.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the contents of the spice mix packet, the water and the yogurt until smooth. Add this mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil. You can add a little more water if the sauce it too thick for your liking, or add some cream to thicken if needed.
• Once it reaches a boil, add in the frozen vegetables and simmer on medium-low for 5-10 mins till the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked enough to your liking.
• Serve hot with roti’s or white rice.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• To up the flavor of the dish (and forgetting the health factor a bit), saute the onions in butter instead of the oil.
• You can use chicken with bones for this dish also, you will get a deeper, meatier flavor. Remember that such chicken takes a little longer to cook that the boneless version.
• For a richer taste, add a tbsp of cream once you bring the curry down to a simmer.

The $1.50 packet of goodness