AS I battle with the season’s lurgy, I hope that it doesn’t ruin an important week. Not only is it my birthday week, but it also includes a whirlwind weekend trip to appear at the Lahore Literary Festival in Pakistan. The fact that I will get to see my parents for even two days, has kept me taking every medicine known to man to make this illness disappear. I would do anything for a bowl of food made by my mother, but I have no time to pamper myself with any thoughts of feeling sorry for myself.
For some reason this winter seems to have dragged more that the other two I have spent in Scotland – whether it is because we have seen a lot more snow than usual, or the fact that heating a larger home seems to take longer than the smaller places I have lived in previously – either way I do see some hope as the snowdrops and daffodils peer over the grey brown beds and grass below.
To keep me going, I dream of next spring when my raised boxes will be awash with spring greens and I'll be tending to them in the glorious Scottish spring sunshine. Gardening will be my go-to middle-aged pastime.
As we hopefully draw closer to warmer climate, I am reminded of the excitement of cooking hearty, comforting meals at the start of winter, and how that thought balms us through most of the colder months. But come March, we are so ready to ditch the stews and slow-cooked dishes and crave some freshness on a plate.
Growing up I never valued the seasons in a part of Pakistan that merely knew two: summer and winter. I did however always value the seasonality of produce, but in a country where greens were available all year around because of the temperate climate, the real challenge was when I moved the UK and spent months deprived of any sign of seasonal greens. Slowly, however I learnt how exciting it was to see the first shoots spring up, how hope of warmer days comes with the first sight of fresh lime green leaves on plants.
But as I turn to the kitchen, something about the warmth of steaming curry, blanketing me in comfort, reminds me I am not just ready to let go of the reassuring cuddle winter forces you towards. So, in need of a quick fix, I search through my fridge and decide on a dish my mother used to make when I was sick. She always made it with ground almonds, but inspired by those snowdrops in he garden, I use ground pistachios instead. The light green hue brings with it a hope of warmth and longer days ahead. It's my last push through to cook something comforting, before more spring freshness hits my kitchen.
Chicken pistachio rose korma
Preparation time: 20 minutes. Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
(Serves 4)
1 large white onion, peeled
1 inch ginger, peeled
3 cloves garlic, peeled
400g full fat Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
450g chicken pieces, on the bone
Salt, to taste
1 tbsp ghee
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp dried rose petals
1 pinch saffron
3 pods green cardamom
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
1?2 stick cinnamon
20g blanched almonds, ground
50g raw pistachio, ground
½ tsp red chilli flakes
2 tbsp double cream
1 tsp rose water
1. In a blender, with a little water, blend the onions, ginger and garlic into a paste.
2. Add chicken pieces together with lemon juice, salt, and toss in chicken, in a bowl; chill this for 10 minutes.
3. Heat ghee in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, add all the whole spices and toss while they fragrance the oil, about 1 minute. Add the chicken with yoghurt; cook stirring until the sauce begins to thicken. Cook until oil separates, about 6-10 minutes.
4. Grind the nuts together with some water to make a paste. Add this to the chicken, and check seasoning. Reduce the heat to low. Add the red chilli flakes. Stir.
5. Once the chicken is cooked through, turn heat off, stir in cream and rose water. Cover and serve after 3-4 minutes.
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