February 29, 2016 Lunch – Mak’s Kitchen, Dinner – Chicken Curry, Dhal, and Raita

February 29, 2016 Lunch – Mak’s Kitchen,  Dinner – Chicken Curry, Dhal, and Raita

I went to the tax assessor with Aaron and he then suggested we try Mak’s Kitchen at 411 Central NE.  Mak’s is a small store front with barely enough room for three tables and a kitchen.  All the dishes are prepared fresh.  I ordered vegetable chicken and Aaron ordered Szechuan Chicken .  The most interesting aspect of my dish was the fact that the baby corn was cut into short slices and the down the middle of the core., so it was in the shape of about a ½ inch seni-circle. I thought the brown sauce a little greasy, both the vegetables were nicely cooked, tender, yet crisp.  The combo plate was served with rice and an egg roll.   I liked the fresh hot food, but thought it a bit expensive at $7.95.

I cooked lentils. And mung dhal last night.  Suzette came home around 4:00 and we played bocce until 5:30.  

When we came in I started preparing the Chicken Curry.  We had decided to use carrots instead of sweet potato.  The basic Madras curry that I make starts by sautéing a couple of sweet potatoes or carrots 1 large onion, three small apples cored and cubed.  When those ingredients are softened in about fifteen minutes, I added water or chicken stock to cover the vegetables, then  about 1/3 cup of raisins, three T. curry powder, and 1 lb. of roasted cubed chicken.  I cooked this mixture about 1/2 hour, until the flavors blended, then I added ¼ cup heavy cream and 1 T. flour to thicken the curry.  After a few minutes of cooking the curry liquid developed a sauce.   

While the curry was cooking I made raita with 1 ½ cucumbers peeled, seeded, and diced,  1 to 2 cups of yogurt, a dash of salt, and  ¼ onion.  Usually I add dry Sauteed mustard and cumin seed and a dash of cayenne, but tonight I used PPI Tzatziki with fresh dill and sour cream to give the raita flavor. 

I heated the dhal and we served ourselves dhal, curry, and raita.  We drank tea and water.  Usually I cook rice, but neither of us wanted the carbs tonight; the dhal was more than enough. 

I ate the curry with some of Suzette’s sweet tomato chutney and five vegetable pickle.  

Bon Appetir