stew

made some yummy chicken-vegetables stew y'day, inspired by Chef John's (of Food wishes fame) video the night before. He had used sausages and white (forgot name) beans, but in lockdown (actually those are hard to find in India even without lockdown), had to improvise with available ingredients. so in went chicken kebabs from Greenchick, with diced onions, squashed garlic pods, and a bay leaf or two, in olive oil. Followed with cubed beetroots and potatoes (with skin) and tomatoes. Oh yeah a squirting of fish sauce (my secret these days in many things), and an ounce of triple sec (in lieu of wine). Also some coconut milk. Salt pepper of course, and some chili flakes. Let cook, ingredients sharing their sauces and caramelising the bottom of the pot. Scrape every time u stir, esp when u add moisture of any kind. 

After almost everything was partly cooked, more coconut milk (not a lot) and lots of water. Simmer, simmer, simmer. Maybe salt too. 

Eat whenever the beetroot and potatoes are soft. With bread, but better with some crisp malabari parathas, dipped or soaked in it just before plopping in mouth. (We get frozen parathas from Green chick; at the beginning of lockdown were hard to find but now abundantly available). 

I usually don't do recipes, cos I hate being instructed. Actually more like I'm incapable of it. Here too this was more from memory of Chef John's video than from instructions. But whenever something comes out delicious, k asks me to document it's recipe cos I never exactly replicate the same dish (again incapable). Therefore this, as well as I could remember. 

The last time I made stew was when mom dad visited in Texas and k was also visiting. was winter, I made pork stew, with carrots, potatoes (I think) etc. Slow cooked for hours after part frying the pork chunks. Realised sausages or pre-made kebabs (also mince-balls) are much easier, barely any risk of the meat being under or over done. can listen to the heartbeat of the root vegs then and do them better justice.