my korma with frenched chicken leg; beef shami kabab served with cilantro mint lime foam; aromatic saffron rice; and leak and torched pearl onions...
New Year's Day
"You can get excited about the future. The past won’t mind." -- Hillary DePiano
My mother, when she could cook, often would make korma, polao, and kabab on New Year's Day to welcome a new beginning.
My dish here pays an homage to my mom's cooking by elevating some of the elements with modern twists incorporating basic molecular gastronomic techniques.
What is Korma?
"Korma or qorma is a dish originating in the Indian subcontinent, consisting of meat or vegetables braised with yogurt, water or stock, and spices to produce a thick sauce or gravy. Korma has its roots in the Mughlai cuisine of the Indian subcontinent. A characteristic Mughal dish, it can be traced back to the 16th century and to the Mughal incursions into the region. Classically, a korma is defined as a dish where meat or vegetables are braised with yogurt or stock. The technique covers many different styles of korma. The flavour of a korma is based on a mixture of spices, including ground coriander and cumin, combined with yogurt kept below curdling temperature and incorporated slowly and carefully with the meat juices." -- Wikipedia
Homestyle Bangladeshi chicken korma is likely more aromatic, flavorful, and deeply chicken-flavored than the heavy, creamy versions served in Indian restaurants. - NY Times
behind the scene
My chicken legs are frenched; braised; and baked in spiced yogurt sauce...
"Frenching a chicken leg is a great way to elevate the chicken leg to something a little edgy, like a food truck might serve. It might be adult food but the kid in you will still love the handle. Frenching is a technique where tissues are cut away, exposing the bone for a fancier presentation. Usually it is simply for appearance sake, as with pork, veal or lamb chops. But frenching a chicken leg is more than just an appearance treatment. When you french a chicken leg, you are also removing tendons and compacting the meat, making a more juicy and enjoyable bite." -- Nimble Me This
What is Shami Kebab?
"Shami kabab or shaami kabab, is a local variety of kebab, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is part of the a popular dish in modern-day Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi cuisines. It is composed of a small patty of minced meat, generally beef, but occasionally lamb or mutton (a chicken version exists as well), with ground chickpeas, egg to hold it together, and spices. Shami kebab is eaten as a snack or an appetizer, and is served to guests especially in the regions of Dhaka, Deccan, Punjab, Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Sindh.
Shami kababs are boiled or sauteed meat (beef or lamb) and chickpeas (chana daal) with whole hot spices (garam masala, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves), whole ginger, whole garlic and some salt to taste until completely tender. Onions, turmeric, chili powder, egg, chopped green coriander, chopped green chillies and chopped mint leaves may be added in preparing kebab. Garam masala powder (ground spices) may be used in place of whole hot spices." -- Wikipedia
behind the scene
my kebab is served with cilantro mint lime gastronomic foam and tamarind chutney...
"Culinary foam (from the Spanish “espuma”) is one of the most known techniques of modern cuisine. Culinary foam has been invented by the chef of “El Bulli” Ferran Adrià in the Nineties. Nowadays, culinary foam has become an indispensable element in the elaboration of the menus of gastronomic restaurants." - 100%Chef
"Beginner’s mind is a practice of approaching our experiences empty of assumptions. When we don’t already have the final answer in mind, we can more readily welcome new possibilities. A beginner’s mind allows us to embrace the highest emotional qualities — such as enthusiasm, zeal, and optimism — to creatively move ourselves forward." -- Faisal Hoque
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