Paul and I decided to make a fancy dinner, and try some (more expensive) wine for Valentine's Day this year. We made a lamb curry pilaf, and paired it with Zinfandel. Nice. The lamb made the black pepper pop in the wine.
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| copyright: Cori 2012 |
It took us 3 hours to prepare this meal. It is the most extensive curry we have made yet. The onions, tomatoes, garlic, and green chilies all cook so long they turn into gravy to coat the lamb. Together with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves, saffron, rose water, turmeric, coriander, red chili powder, cumin, mace, and nutmeg, it has the most complex smell and taste I think I have ever experienced.
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| copyright: Cori 2012 |
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| copyright: Cori 2012 |
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| copyright: Cori 2012 |
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| copyright: Cori 2012 |
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| copyright: Cori 2012 |
The rice didn't cook how it was supposed to, and the gravy didn't get as think as it was supposed to, but it was still a very delicious meal, and well worth the 3 hours. After cooking the rice and lamb separately, you assemble the pilaf in a casserole dish, and bake it so all the flavors meld into half the rice.
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| copyright: Cori 2012 |
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| copyright: Cori 2012 |
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| copyright: Cori 2012 |
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| copyright: Cori 2012 |
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| copyright: Cori 2012 |
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| copyright: Cori 2012 |
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| copyright: Cori 2012 |
I know it kind of looks like mush, but I have full confidence that next time it will be much more pretty. As it took so long to cook, and it was for a special occasion, I couldn't not share :)
Fancy meals don't have to come from a restaurant, you can make them right at home. They are often better when you do, I find. I am more often disappointed by restaurant food than satisfied by it. Especially with something like Indian, when Paul could likely die just by walking into the place, with all the peanuts, whole and crushed, they use in so many dishes. Plus, you can eat and drink much more for a lot less.
And romantic :)
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