7
16Jan
2012

Muchi Crock-Pot Chicken Curry

I love Indian food so much that my husband and I included it as part of our wedding festivities five and a half years ago.  When our guests RSVP’d, they had to choose “Traditional” or “Indian” fare instead of the usual beef or fish options.  In place of champagne, everyone was given a mango lassi to toast up the new bride and groom.  (Ugh, and now I can’t have mangoes.  But maybe that will change!)  If you’ve never had a mango lassi before, you better go to your nearest Indian food establishment and get one!  If my body befriends mangoes again, you better believe we’ll be making dairy free, sugar free mango lassies.

As much as I have loved Indian food, I’ve pretty much been a failure at making my own curries on the spot (until recently: watch for my Metro Curry Seasoning recipe).  My first attempt at making a homemade Indian chicken curry was in high school.  I tried making one with McCormick’s curry powder.  It was edible, but nothing like what I got at any of my Indian friends’ houses.  According to my family, I “stunk up the house for days.”  I think the mistake here was using McCormick’s curry seasoning.  No offense Mr. McCormick, but you’re not Indian so it just doesn’t work.

Then the mother of one of my Indian friends showed me how to really make your own curry.  Two pinches of ginger.  A pinch of paprika.  A smidgeon of mango powder.  And so on.  Tried that.  It still wasn’t turning out like it did when she made it.

Then I met Muchi.

Muchi curry powder is a curry spice blend made by Frontier Natural Products Co-Op.  This curry powder tastes like the real thing, and it has given me the luxury to make authentic tasting Indian dishes without having to eye up 13 different spices.  It’s easy and delicious.  But be careful!  Spicy.

Obviously, all Thai and Indian curries taste best when properly cooked on the stove.  That’s ideal.  But when you’re moving through life on the fly and you have 394823 food allergies and you just want to taste something different that comes out of a crock-pot, this is it.  Coconut milk does best on the stove top, and not cooked all day in a crock-pot, because if it boils for too long in the crock it can coagulate.  Just so you know.

This recipe is the bare bones.  Of course you can add a million veggies.  It’s the bare bones recipe because in the past, this is all I’ve had time to throw together before leaving for the day.  And the bare bones recipe, it’s fast.  If you add a million veggies, there’s the washing and chopping.  That takes time.  When I’ve had the extra fifteen minutes, I’ve added a very finely chopped bunch of kale (of course you know why I’m obsessed with kale).  You could also throw in a bag of frozen veggies if you’re looking to amp up the green without amping up the prep time.

My Muchi Crock-Pot Chicken Curry is no fail.  You can make this!  I’ve made this a gazillion times for many different people gatherings, and I’ve gotten rave reviews. I give all the credit back to you, Miss Muchi Curry Powder.

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7 Responses

  1. Daisy

    Your curry recipe sounds very good and I’ll give it a try. As far as McCormick curry goes, you should know that it has its place. The English made their own (wonderful in their own way) variations on curry during their tenure in India, McCormick is in that category.

    Reply

    Dr. Archer

    Hi Daisy. Thanks for your comment. I also appreciate your thoughts and history on McCormick being included in England’s Indian influences. If you use McCormick’s curry powder, I would love to know how you use it!

    Reply

  2. Daisy

    I’ve learned that Keen, an Australian spice company that made a very popular curry powder (among other things), has been for some years a subsidiary of the American spice company, McCormick.

    The best way that I can explain the depth of British influence on curry dishes is to compare it to the kinds of influence American and English Rock&Roll have mutually exerted across the waters. In short, there would be no Mick Jagger without Elvis. And there would be no Elvis w/out black gospel/rhythm and blues and ‘country music’ brought over to the states from Ireland the British isles. And w/out all of these interactions the world would be devoid of Punk, Grunge , etc. :)

    The English invention, Chicken Tika Masala is now considered the national dish of England — and it’s become very popular in India too!

    My nephew, Tiffany’s husband Michael, is the grandson of my late mother, who, as a very young woman came to the USA from Ireland. My mother grew up eating curries, as does practically everyone in Ireland. I’m guessing that Keen’s curry powder was used in her household.

    Here’s one of her curry dishes: Curried Rice and Shrimp w/Peas
    Prepare rice using salty water
    Add slightly cooked shrimp and peas to hot rice (where they will finish cooking)
    Make a curried roux (using McCormick’s curry to taste)
    Slowly add very warm chicken stock and then heavy cream to roux stirring continually until thick enough to pour over and incorporate into rice/shrimp mixture.
    Make an amount huge enough to feed 10 people (8 kids) and an equally hugh amount of sliced cukes/sour cream/chopped onions and dill and enjoy.

    Another of her’s:
    Mix McCormick’s curry w/mayonnaise and use for deviled eggs or cold shrimp and rice salad w/peas :)

    Having said all that, I, like you, very much enjoy making my own fresh curry spice combos.

    Here’s an interesting curry link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry

    Reply

    Dr. Archer

    Hi Daisy – I hope I didn’t offend you with my jesting about McCormick’s curry powder. Thank you for these recipes! The use of McCormick’s curry powder in a deviled egg recipe sounds fantastic!

    Reply

  3. Daisy

    Not even slightly! :)

    Reply

  4. bristol plasterer

    Yum i love this recipe. Tastes great. Thanks for sharing.

    Simon

    Reply

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