Ten Houston-area chefs will compete in the Curry Crawl on Sunday, June 24 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Straits Houston Singapore Restaurant | Lounge in CityCentre.

Participating chefs Kiran Virma from Kiran’s Restaurant & Bar and Simran Patel from Korma Sutra, show food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make their entries of chicken Tikka Masala and spice-encrusted lamb chops. Tickets are $55 per person and the event benefits PULSE, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital’s new young professionals’ group.

Watch video of Chef Simran Patel preparing spice-encrusted lamb chop.

On the Web:

Curry Crawl — http://www.straitsrestaurants.com/-curry-crawl–throwdown–event-19.php

For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston,
listen to Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM.
(By the way, she gives out restaurant gift cards on every radio show!)

Chicken Tikka Masala (Serves 6)
Chef Kiran Virma, Kiran’s Restaurant & Bar

• Garam Masala (fresh made spice)
• 1 oz. Cumin
• 1 oz. Coriander
• ½ oz. Black Cardamom
• ½ oz. Green Cardamom
• ½ oz. Cloves
• ½ oz. Black Peppercorns
• ½ oz. Cinnamon
• ½ oz. Mace

Directions
1. All spices are whole. You can buy garam masala from any Indian grocery store.
But I make my own because it’s more flavorful. Combine all ingredients in coffee grinder until finely ground.
Use ½ tbsp in the marinade and ½ tbsp in sauce right before serving.

Chicken

• 2 lbs. Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 6 oz. Yogurt
• 4 oz. Heavy whipping cream
• 2 oz. Sour cream
• 2 tbsp. Cooking oil
• 1 tbsp. Freshly ground pepper
• 2 oz. Ginger garlic paste
• 2 tbsp. Lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. White vinegar
• ½ tsp Kosher salt
• 2 oz. Dry Kasoori Methi (dried fenugreek available in Indian grocery stores)
• 2 oz. Paprika
• 1 oz. Red Chilies

Directions
1. Prepare the chicken breasts. Cut each half breast into 3 pieces.
2. Mix all the spices and other ingredients into the yogurt.
3. Add the chicken pieces and marinate for at least 12 hours or overnight.
4. Remove chicken from the marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Broil the chicken over charcoal for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Sauce

• 10 lbs Roma tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 oz. Whole cloves
• 1 oz. cinnamon
• ½ oz. mace
• 4 Stars anise
• 1 oz. cumin
• 1 oz. coriander seeds
• 2 oz. ginger
• 2 oz. garlic
• 2 oz. honey
• 1 lb. butter
• 2 oz. Red onion

Directions
1. Boil chopped tomatoes with all the spices for a half hour.
2. Blend the boiled tomatoes and spices. Strain the tomato mixture.
3. Take a heavy bottom pan, add butter, ginger and garlic, cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add chopped red onions and cook till clear.
5. Add chili powder and paprika. Add grilled and cubed chicken breast. Sauté for 3 minutes.
6. Add strained tomato sauce. Cook for five minutes.
7. Add about 1 oz. of freshly ground garam masala.
8. Add honey. Add cream to finish off. Serve hot.
Enjoy with Rice Pulao or Naan bread or even whole wheat bread.

Roast spice-Crusted Lamb Rack with Coconut Moilee & Stir-Fried Spinach (Serves 4)
Chef Simran Patel, Korma Sutra

Lamb Rack (Chops)

• 4 x 4-bone lamb racks, trimmed and lightly scored
• Vegetable oil for shallow-frying for the marinade

Cooking the Chops
1. Heat some vegetable oil in a large, heavy- based frying pan.
2. Add the marinated lamb chops and cook over a high heat until the outside is well seared.
3. Transfer to a baking tray and place the spice crusts on each chop.
4. Put in an oven preheated to 190°C/Gas Mark 5 and roast for 9 minutes, until cooked medium rare.
5. Remove and leave to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Marinade

• 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon red chili paste
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• Salt to taste

Directions
1. Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade and massage them gently on to the racks of lamb.
2. Set aside to marinate for 1 hour.

Spice Crust

• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 1 dried red chili
• ½ tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander stalks
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped basil stalks
• 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs

Spice Crust
1. Roast all the spices for the crust in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until they turn a shade darker,
stirring or shaking them constantly to prevent burning.
2. Crush them coarsely after toasting.
3. Mix coriander and basil stalks, then add butter and cream the mixture together.
4. Gently mix in the breadcrumbs.
5. Spoon the spice crust on to a piece of greaseproof paper and spread it out with a spatula.
6. With the tip of a knife, mark out 4 squares large enough to cover the flesh side of each lamb rack, then place in the fridge to harden.

Coconut Moilee

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 6 curry leaves
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon chopped green chili
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 200 ml thick coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Salt to taste

Directions
1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. As they begin to pop, add the curry leaves, garlic, ginger, chili and shallots.
2. Sauté mixture till its translucent.
3. Add turmeric and sauté for 30 seconds.
4. Add the coconut milk, chopped coriander and some salt.
5. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve and add lemon juice to taste.

Stir-Fried Spinach

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 500 g baby spinach leaves
• A teaspoon garam masala
• Salt to taste

Directions
1. Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a frying pan, add the chopped garlic, ginger and shallot and sauté until softened but not colored.
2. Add the spinach, salt and garam masala and sauté till the spinach is cooked.
3. Drain off any water that oozes from the spinach.

To Serve
1. Cut the rack into half.
2. Spoon the spinach in the center of 4 large pasta plates and pour the moilee sauce around it.
3. Garnish as required, then place the lamb on top of the spinach.