Goan-Style Meatball Curry

Goa is a small state on the southern half of India's western coast. It's capital city is Panaji. The Goan region was a colony of Portugal for more than 450 years, ending only in 1961 with annexation to India. The main language is Konkani, an Indo European language; and thus, a relative of English, although further down the family tree. Up until more recent decades, varying degrees of Portuguese was known by some segment of the population. Hinduism is the majority religion in Goa, but about a quarter of the state's population is Christian, a result of Portuguese involvement for such a long time, and Muslims are about 8 to 9%. To give some perspective, Christianity is only about two and one half percent of India's overall population. The influences of the Portuguese, and of Christianity and Islam, show up in Goa's cuisine, as beef is not uncommon in Goa (practicing Hindus do not eat beef).

 

 

Ingredients (3 to 5 servings): 

1 1/4 pounds ground lamb

2/3 teaspoon ground cumin 

2/3 teaspoon ground turmeric

2/3 teaspoon ground pepper

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 finely chopped onion

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 green chili pepper (serrano is good for this), chopped

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped coriander (also called cilantro)

2 eggs

1/2 cup bread crumbs (fine not panko) 

 

Put all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix them together well. Form the mixture into meatballs about the size of pingpong balls.

For the curry sauce:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped onion (small chop)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 whole cloves

10 to 12 curry leaves

2 cardamom pods, slit 

1 1/2 inch piece of cinnamon stick

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder (or 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 2 teaspoons sweet paprika)

1 or 2 green chilies, left whole, but slit, or chopped up (your choice)   

1 cup water

1 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup crushed tomato

3/4 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon salt (more or less by your preference)

(optional) 1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/3 cup chopped coriander (cilantro) 

In a large skillet (or pan), add the oil over medium heat, then add the onion and saute for 90 seconds, then add the garlic, cloves, curry leaves, cardamom pods and cinnamon stick; saute 1 minute. Add the ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, Kashmiri chili powder (or cayenne pepper and paprika), crushed tomatoes and the green chilies; mix everything around; then, add 1 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Allow the sauce to come to a light boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a nice gentle simmer and let cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and allow the sauce to return to a gentle simmer, then stir in the garam masala, salt and sugar. Now carefully add the meatballs to the sauce and cover the skillet/pan with a lid or foil. Let cook for 5 minutes, then remove the lid/foil and turn each meatball, cover the pan again, reduce the heat to low and cook another 8 minutes. Remove the lid and sprinkle the chopped coriander over the curry. Use a fork to mix about half of the chopped coriander into the sauce. Remove the curry from the heat and let sit just a minute or two before serving with rice on the side and/or naan or chapati flatbread. (Note: If you'd like to make your own chapati flatbread, here is the recipe: https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2018/10/easy-flatbread-of-indian-subcontinent.html    

 

WORD HISTORY:

Clad-This word was actually the past tense and past participle (now archaic) of "(to) clothe," used adjectivally; thus, "clad" means "clothed, covered." In the Middle Ages, the adjective form was "cladde" (the ending 'e' pronounced 'eh'), then "clad."

For the verb "clothe," here is the link to that article: https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2012/11/its-about-coalitions-not-purity-part_22.html?m=1

South Indian Eggplant Curry: Kattirikkay Kari

This dish is a great way to use eggplant, but it is a tad oily, as eggplant is known for sopping up oil, but I tried to limit the oil, and I've seen recipes for this dish that use far more oil. Serve this dish with rice and flatbread.

 

Ingredients:  

2 medium eggplants, well rinsed and stem area cut off

1 teaspoon ground turmeric, divided use

2 teaspoons salt, divided use

6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided use

2 teaspoons black mustard seeds

2 cups sliced or chopped red onion

5 cloves of garlic, minced

2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 medium green chili peppers (or 4 small), chopped

4 small tomatoes (or 2 medium), chopped

12 to 15 curry leaves*

2 teaspoons ground red pepper (cayenne or other hot ground red pepper)

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 cups water 

2/3 cup coconut milk

chopped coriander (also known as cilantro) for garnish

 

Wash and dry the eggplant, cut it into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Add 3 tablespoons oil to a pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the eggplant pieces, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric. Stir the eggplant around and turn it as it fries until it is browned (add 1 more tablespoon of oil during the frying); then, remove the eggplant to a plate or a bowl. (I empty the oil from the skillet, but you can leave it if you'd like.) I then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and add the black mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the the sliced red onion and saute until the onion softens, then add the tomatoes, the chopped green chilies, minced garlic and grated ginger; let cook about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring and breaking up the tomatoes as they cook. Then add the other 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons red chili pepper, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 2 teaspoons ground cumin and the curry leaves (or grated lime peel and torn basil leaves); stir well, then add water and stir well again. After 3 minutes add the browned eggplant, stir, cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the lid, stir, then stir in the coconut milk; cook a further 3 minutes uncovered. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, also known to many as cilantro. Serve with rice.

 

* Curry leaves are a common addition to southern Indian cooking. Just a few years ago, your chances of finding curry leaves outside of the Indian Subcontinent were likely not very good, but now curry leaves are much more available, including here in the United States, where they are sometimes frozen, but also they can be found fresh in a clear packet (they are not expensive and they keep well in the refrigerator). If you don't have access to curry leaves, you can substitute 1 tablespoon grated lime peel and about 6 basil leaves torn into smaller pieces. Understand, "curry leaves" have nothing to do with "curry powder," nor with "curries," the types of spiced dishes, except that on occasion the leaves are used in some curries.          

 

 

South Indian Eggplant Curry with a piece of methi thepla flatbread ...("methi thepla" is a flatbread made from whole wheat and fenugreek leaves, and it is popular in Gujarat, an Indian state in western India with a coastline on the Arabian Sea region of the Indian Ocean.  

 

WORD HISTORY:

Crater-This word is related to "grail" (cup), a word from Latin and borrowed by English via French; however, where Latin got the word is in question. "Crater" goes back to Indo European "kerh/kere," with the meaning "to mix;" thus also figuratively "to confuse." This gave transliterated Ancient Greek the noun "krater" meaning "bowl" ("a dish used to mix ingredients"),^ and this was borrowed by Latin as "crater," meaning "basin," with the later additional meaning of "opening at the top of a volcano;" that is, "a basin shaped opening." English borrowed the word in the early part of the 1600s with the "top opening of a volcano" meaning and the meanings then expanded to "depressions in the ground made by meteors and by the explosion of artillery shells (later by bombs dropped from airplanes). The verb form is from the noun in the mid 1800s, initially meaning "to make a crater," as in, "The bomb cratered just a short distance from our house," but the figurative sense became common in usage; that is, "to fall from a high position," as in, "After winning 3 games in a row, our team cratered in the standings by losing 9 of 10 games." 

  

^ Some feel that the ultimate Indo European source is the same Indo European source as for modern English "horn;" that is, "k(h)er," which had the notion "top of the body, head;" thus, "animal horn." Now, some animal horns were used as vessels for drinks, and wine and water were often mixed together in them.  

Indian Kidney Bean Curry: Rajma Masala

There are various recipes for kidney bean curries in the northern part of the Indian Subcontinent, with red kidney beans commonly used, including in Nepal and Bangladesh (light or dark red type), but brown type pinto beans are used in some places. In the Kashmir region, onion and garlic are not always used by everyone, and they also use Kashmiri ground red pepper, which is very red, but not as hot as regular Indian ground red chili powder. This regular hot Indian red chili powder is generally used elsewhere in India (it is very much like cayenne pepper). If you don't have Kashmiri chili powder, you can use 2/3 teaspoon sweet paprika (not the smoked type common in Spain) and 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper as a substitute, but then still add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or other hot red pepper) in the recipe. I know some folks don't like much heat, but actually this isn't a red hot dish that will cause smoke to billow out of your mouth. A fairly common connection in the various recipes is that the beans are cooked and then some are mashed to varying degrees, and this helps to thicken the curry without any other ingredients being added. 

  

The kidney bean curry is almost always served with a nice portion of rice next to it, and then it is referred to as "Rajma Chawal" (kidney beans and rice), but pickled red onions are another good accompaniment.*  

 

By the way, I've found that this is one of those dishes that improves when the leftovers are put in the refrigerator until the next day; so, the curry is great to serve then too.

 

 

Ingredients (4 to 6 servings):

 

2 cans of kidney beans (14.5 to 16 ounces), rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or other neutral oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped

1 small to medium green chili (a jalapeno chili is fine), chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped red onion

1 1/2 cups tomato puree

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (or 2/3 teaspoon sweet paprika + 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper)

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or regular Indian chili powder)

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon fenugreek leaves

2 teaspoons salt 

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (also known to some as 'coriander') 

1 cup warm water

 

Add 2 tablespoons oil to a pan or skillet (I use a 10 inch diameter skillet) over medium heat; add the chopped red onion and saute until the onions just start to brown a bit. Add the garlic, ginger and green chili, saute a further 1 or 2 minutes (the onion should be softened and with some brown color to it). Add the tomato puree, ground turmeric, chili powders (Kashmiri or the substitute + cayenne pepper), ground coriander, ground cumin, fenugreek leaves and salt; stir to mix everything together well and cook for about 4 or 5 minutes; then add the water and mix everything together well. Add the kidney beans, stirring well. Let the curry come to a boil, then adjust the heat to maintain a nice steady simmer; cook for 8 to 10 minutes, then use a fork or potato masher and mash the mixture, so that about a third to a half of the beans are mashed to some degree (they don't have to be totally mashed), then mix all together well. Add the chopped cilantro (fresh coriander) and mix in and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with either rice, pickled onions or naan bread (or chapati/roti bread), or go for it and serve with rice, pickled onions and one of the bread types. 

    

* For how to make easy pickled red onions, here is the link: https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2023/03/indian-style-pickled-red-onions.html

  

 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Soufflé (also souffle)-The main part of this word is related to "bladder" and to "blow" (to move air), both from the Germanic roots of English, and to "inflate," a word English borrowed directly from Latin. "Souffle" is formed of two parts, with the first part going back to Indo European "upo," meaning "up, up from beneath, up from under." The main part goes back to Indo European "bhle(h)," meaning "to blow." This gave Old Italic "flao" meaning "to blow" (with the  'b' of Indo European rendered as 'f' in Italic), and this gave Latin "flare" with the meanings "to blow, to breathe." These forms gave Latin "sufflare" meaning "to blow up with air, to inflate," and this passed into Old French as "souffler" (initially 'sofler?') meaning "to blow up, to inflate, to blow out (exhale);" thus, the figurative "to whisper." This gave French the noun "soufflé" from the participle form of "souffler" and essentially meaning "that which is puffed up," and used as a culinary term for "a dish with beaten egg whites that are folded into other ingredients, and which then make the dish 'puff up' when baked." English borrowed the word from French, circa 1815.

Burmese Shrimp Curry: Bazun Hin

This Burmese dish is also known as "Pazoon Hin," and there are variations in recipes. It is not an especially spicy hot dish, although it does have a little bit of a kick, but if you like your dishes fiery, you can easily adjust the amount of fresh chilies and/or the amount of ground red pepper or the type of ground red pepper. I used Kashmiri chili powder (ground red chili peppers), which is much milder than standard Indian chili powder, which is hot, much like cayenne pepper. 

 

Burma is also known as Myanmar (1989), and the official language is Burmese, one of the Sino-Tibetan languages, which includes Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese Chinese, Tibetan and between 300 and 400 other languages and dialects. The nation has a population in excess of 55 million. The country became a colony of Britain in the 1880s, and during World War II Burma faced much destruction as the Japanese invaded Burma in 1942, with fighting continuing there until mid 1945. "Likely" the best known city in Burma/Myanmar is Rangoon, which is now known as Yangon, and it was the former capital until late 2005, but the current capital is Naypyidaw (seemingly pronounced as if "nay-pyee-dah"). By the way, a well known dish, usually an appetizer served in Chinese restaurants in the U.S. and perhaps elsewhere, is "Crab Rangoon," but it is not from the city in Burma, although the dish name is likely a big reason why so many Americans know the name Rangoon. (Note: By the way, Crab Rangoon is thought to have developed in San Francisco in the United States in the mid 1950s.)

Ingredients 4 servings):

1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined

3 tablespoons vegetable oil + 1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 teaspoons grated ginger

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 small chili pepper, chopped

3 tomatoes, chopped (tennis ball size)

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground red pepper (like cayenne)

1 good pinch ground cloves

6 or 7 fennel seeds, ground (you can use a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle, as I do)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 can coconut milk

1 or 2 tablespoons chopped coriander (for garnish)

(optional for fans of chilies) 1 to 3 teaspoons chopped chilies for garnish

 

In a skillet (or wok), add the vegetable oil/sesame oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 2 minutes, stirring the onion around as it cooks. Add the garlic, ginger and chili pepper; saute one minute, while stirring. Now add the chopped tomatoes, ground turmeric, ground red pepper, ground fennel and salt; stir to mix in, saute 1 to 2 minutes, then stir in the fish sauce and mix it in well to distribute all of the flavors. Add the shrimp and saute with the other ingredients for 2 minutes, then add the coconut milk, stir well, and let the sauce come up to temperature and let the dish simmer until the shrimp are completely cooked, then remove the skillet from the heat. Garnish with some chopped cilantro (also known as fresh coriander) and, optionally, some chopped chilies. Serve with rice.

 

WORD HISTORY:

Nest-This word goes back to Indo European "nizdo," which "seems" to be a combination formation of "ni," which meant "down, below" ("ni" being the ancient ancestor of English "nether") and "sed," which meant "to sit" (indeed the ancient ancestor of English "sit"). This gave its Old Germanic offspring "nistaz," a noun which meant "(a) nest." The verb form is from Old Germanic "nistijanan," which meant "to nest, to make a nest." The Germanic form gave Old English the noun "nest," a form which has lasted to this day, and which meant "nest, brood of young birds." The Old English verb form "nistan," meant "to build a nest/nests." Other Germanic noun forms survived only in the West Germanic branch of Germanic (English is West Germanic), but see the Swedish entry: German, Low German and Dutch all have "nest," and Frisian once had a form, now no longer used. Swedish (from the North Germanic branch) has "näste," but it was borrowed from Low German.

Kerala Prawn (Shrimp) Curry: Chemmeen Kari

Kerala is a state along the seacoast in southwestern India, and seafood dishes are common there. Most recipes use coconut milk in this dish, which of course lightens the color, but I've seen a couple of recipes that omit the coconut milk, and the nice red color of the dish draws me to it. I know the list of ingredients looks intimidating, but it really shouldn't scare you at all, and if you cook Indian food at home often, and you already have a lot of spices, you should be pretty well set to make this dish, with the possible exceptions of curry leaves, which are common in southern Indian cooking, and black mustard seeds. Curry leaves can be found in Indian and Pakistani grocery stores and perhaps in "some" spice shops. They are often frozen, but I've actually found fresh curry leaves here in Cleveland at an Indian grocery store. Curry leaves have a combination of a citrusy and basil like taste. You can substitute basil leaves along with some grated lime peel. Black mustard seeds are available at spice shops, Indian/Pakistani grocers and at some supermarkets.

 

I've made this dish a couple of times before, but when I made it for this article, I decided to substitute tomato juice for the water I had used before, and I now prefer to use tomato juice.

Serve with basmati rice ...

 

Ingredients:

 

1 pound raw medium shrimp, shelled and cleaned

4 tablespoons vegetable or sunflower oil

1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 large onion (softball size), quartered and then sliced

2 teaspoons grated ginger

4 medium cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 or 2 red chilies, cut into 4 or 5 pieces each

1 cup chopped tomato

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground red pepper (like cayenne, or for milder: 1/2 sweet paprika, 1/2 cayenne)

1 heaping teaspoon ground black pepper

12 to 15 curry leaves (or substitute 1 tablespoon grated lime peel and like 6 or 8 torn basil leaves)

1/3 cup tomato juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cardamom pods, crushed or slit 

2 heaping tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, aka coriander 

Heat oil over medium heat (I list 4 tablespoons of oil, but I suggest using 3 tablespoons, then adding the remaining tablespoon, if necessary), add the black mustard seeds and cook for a minute or until the seeds begin to "pop." Add the onions and saute until they begin to soften, then add the ginger, garlic and fennel seed; saute another minute, then add the chilies and cook for 90 seconds, then add the tomato and cook for 3 minutes. Add the salt, turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground red pepper (or the half and half mixture), ground black pepper, curry leaves (or grated lime/basil leaves substitute), tomato juice, ground cinnamon, cardamom pods (crushed or slit) and cook for another 6 minutes, before adding the shrimp and cook a further 6 minutes, then add 1 tablespoon of the chopped cilantro, stir and cook about 60 to 90 seconds. Garnish with the other tablespoon of chopped cilantro.

 

Kerala Prawn Curry, basmati rice and paratha, a type of layered and flaky Indian flatbread ...

WORD HISTORY:

Clue-This word is related to "clay," "clod," "cleave" (with the meaning "to cling to," not the meaning "to cut, chop"), all words from the Germanic roots of English, and to "glue," a Latin-derived word borrowed by English via French. "Clue" goes back to Indo European ""gleuh/gleih," which had the notion of "stick together, adhere." This gave Old Germanic "kliwjo(n)," meaning,  "something stuck together, a mass, something clumped into a ball." This gave Old English "cliewen" meaning, "a ball or clump," then "ball or clump of thread," and this then became "clewe," then "clew," then "clue" (perhaps influenced by some French spellings?). The meaning "ball of thread" was long the meaning, but the more modern meaning comes via Greek mythology where Theseus used a ball of thread to guide him out of a maze (used as "clew/clue ball," circa 1600); thus in English, this usage then took on the broader sense (circa 1625?), "something that guides and gives direction to solve a problem." Used in a negative sense in like, "That guy hasn't a clue where he is," with the general meaning "bewildered, not have an idea about something." The early to mid 1930s saw the development of the verb form meaning, "to give information to help point one in a particular direction," not long thereafter almost always used with "in," as with, "Clue me in on how to use this new app." Low German has both "Kluven" and "Kloen" ("ball of thread"),^ Dutch has "kluwen" ("ball of thread"), German has modern "Knäuel" (ball of yarn, ball of twine/thread), and the spelling with the "n" came about through a variant pronunciation in the Middle Ages of German "kliuwel," itself a diminutive form of German "kliuwe," Frisian once had "kliwen," but I cannot find anything beyond that, and Old Norse had "kle" ("ball," also "ball of wool?"), but the word seems to have died out in Old Norse, and thus, in the North Germanic languages.

 

^ Low German is not a standard language, but rather a collection of dialects; thus, it is not totally uncommon to see more than one form of a word by regions, or even totally different words.  

West Bengali Potatoes in Gravy: Darjeeling Aloo Dum

Darjeeling is a city in West Bengal in northeastern India. The city is best known for the tea grown and processed there, mysteriously called "Darjeeling tea," and how they came up with that name is well beyond my level of comprehension, as I haven't figured out where Black Forest Cake got its name.   

 

I already did Nepali aloo dum,* but this style here is more associated with the city of Darjeeling in the Indian state of West Bengal, and you do need a special ingredient for this curry, and that is "black cumin," also known as "nigella" or "kalonji," which are black seeds from a plant of the buttercup family. Black cumin is available in many spice shops and certainly in Indian/Pakistani grocery stores (perhaps in some Middle Eastern stores, too). This version of "Aloo Dum" uses more "gravy;" that is, the curry sauce for the potatoes, but the recipe and the preparation is quite simple. I love this dish!

 

Ingredients (4 to 5 servings):

 

1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 can (14.5 to 15 ounces) tomato sauce** + 1 medium ripe Roma tomato, chopped

2 teaspoons black cumin seeds

1 or 2 whole fresh green chilies (jalapeno, serrano or unripened cayenne peppers are fine)

1 fresh red chili (or dried red chili)

1 heaping teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin (not to be confused with black cumin) 

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh coriander (also known as cilantro), chopped

(if needed) 1/4 to 1/2 cup water

Peel the potatoes and cut them into pieces of "about" 1 inch long and 1/2 inch wide (this is just to give you the idea and this needn't be precise, so please, no measuring tape required). Boil the potatoes in some salted water until just cooked through, not until they are soft and mushy. While the potatoes cook, in a skillet over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is heated, add the green chilies and saute for a minute or two, then add the tomato sauce and the one chopped tomato. While the sauce heats up, mash the tomato pieces a little (the tomato is to give the sauce some texture, so don't obliterate it), add the red chili, black cumin, salt, turmeric, ground coriander and ground cumin. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 or 6 minutes, stirring occasionally (you can cover the skillet to prevent spattering, if you'd like, just be sure to keep checking the sauce and giving it a stir). If the gravy is too thick, use some water to thin it out (of the many times I've prepared this dish, only once did I feel the need to add water to thin the sauce). Stir in the chopped cilantro. Serve with naan or chapati bread to dip in the sauce.

 

* For the recipe for Nepalese Aloo Dum, here is the link: https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2019/08/nepalese-spicy-potatoes-aloo-dum.html  (Note: In recent years, I've had neighbors who are immigrants from Nepal; very nice people, and our neighborhood now has a Nepali/Indian restaurant. LOVE IT!) 

** I'm streamlining this by using tomato sauce, as in India fresh or canned tomatoes would more typically be used and then blended to make tomato sauce.  

 

WORD HISTORY:

Migrate/Migration-These closely related words are related to "permute" and "mutation," words of Latin derivation borrowed from Latin with French reinforcement, or the other way around, and to "permeate," another Latin word borrowed directly from that language. The basic form goes back to the Indo European root "mey/mei," with the notion of "change, change location." This then seems to have had an expanded form like "migwro/migwra," which gave Old Italic "migro," which gave Latin the verb "migrare,"  meaning "to move around, to leave one place for another." One of the participle forms was "migratus," and this was the basis of the English borrowing in the latter part of the 1600s for "migrate." In Latin, the noun had been formed as "migratio," with the meaning "a change of living location," seemingly more in the sense with a longer distance of travel involved. English borrowed the word as "migration" in the early 1600s from Latin with French reinforcement.

Kashmiri Lamb Curry: Rogan Josh

This is a pretty well known Indian and Pakistani dish from the Kashmir area, a region that is divided between India and Pakistan.* There are many variations for Rogan Josh like: some use lamb, some use goat, some use boneless meat, others leave the meat bone-in, some use fresh garlic, others use powdered garlic, some use fresh ginger, others use powdered ginger, some do not use onion, some use tomato or tomato paste and I'm sure there are many more. In the U.S., and likely many other countries outside of the Indian subcontinent, Indian and Pakistani restaurants will almost certainly include "Rogan Josh" on their menus.  

 

Ingredients (4 to 6 servings):

 

2 pounds lamb (boneless or bone-in pieces)

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 cup plain Indian or Greek yogurt

2 inch cinnamon stick

6 whole cloves

6 cardamon pods (cracked/crushed)

1 cup chopped onion

2 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated

6 garlic cloves, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons Kashmiri chili powder (or 1/2 tbls cayenne pepper and 1 tbls sweet paprika)

(optional for heat) you can also add 1 or 2 whole red chili peppers (cut a slit in them) or 1 or 2 dried red chilies

(optional) pinch of saffron threads in 1/4 cup warm water

1 heaping teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground mace

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

2 1/2 cups water (if using saffron in warm water, reduce the water to 2 1/4 cups)

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

(optional) fresh coriander (also known as cilantro) for garnish

skillet or pot with a lid or with foil to cover

 

Put the pieces of lamb into a bowl and sprinkle the salt over them. Add the yogurt and mix by hand to coat the meat well, then cover and refrigerate for 90 minutes. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet or medium pot (you will need a lid or foil), then add the cinnamon stick, whole cloves and crushed cardamom pods. Saute until you smell the spice aroma, then add the onion and saute for 2 minutes before adding the ginger, garlic, ground black pepper, ground mace and fennel seeds, stir and saute for 2 minutes. Add the lamb pieces and saute for 10 to 12 minutes, turning the lamb pieces often to brown them. Add the saffron/water along with the hot chilies (if using) and the chili powder and the water. Cover the pan with a lid or foil and cook over medium low heat until the meat is tender (approx. 1 to 1 1/2 hours). Serve with rice and naan bread.

 

* Pakistan was part of India until independence from British colonial rule legally took place in August 1947. At that time, Pakistan consisted of West Pakistan and East Pakistan, and the two parts were separated by about 1000 miles. In 1971, East Pakistan became the independent nation of Bangladesh, as it still is today. A "relatively" small portion of India remained as a colony of Portugal at the time of Indian/Pakistani independence. This "Portuguese India" region was generally called "Goa," although it included some territory besides Goa. This region remained under Portuguese control until late 1961, but the official declaration of this didn't come from Portugal until 1974! 

 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Amateur-This word is related to "amiable" and "enemy," Latin-derived words borrowed by English from French, and to "amicable," also a Latin-derived word, but borrowed directly from Latin, and to "amigo" another Latin-derived word borrowed from Spanish. "Amateur" has an uncertain origin, but it goes back to Latin "amare," which meant "to love, to like, to be fond of." This produced the Latin noun "amator," which meant "lover, friend, devoted admirer," which passed to Old French as "amateur" (also as "ameor," a form that died out in the 1500s), which meant "a lover," but also simply "a lover of something," then with the notion of "strong admiration for." English borrowed the word circa 1780 and the meaning developed as "one with a strong attachment to some pursuit, but not done for a living." Often contrasted with "professional;" that is, "one with a strong attachment to some pursuit, done with the purpose of earning money and/or other benefit." The notion of an "amateur" not pursuing money or gain has left the word open for the secondary rather derogatory meaning, "someone untrained or unqualified to perform a particular job," and the somewhat less harsh, "someone not showing an intense enough interest in some study or pursuit to earn money in that field."      

Thai Vegetable Green Curry

 A good curry with lots of vegetables, as well as just a little spiciness to tickle the tongue. Thai or Asian green curry paste is available in supermarkets or Asian markets, and it's not expensive.

Ingredients (about 4 servings):

 

2 tablespoons peanut oil

4 green onions, chopped

1 1/2 inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 cup carrot, peeled and chopped or sliced

1 cup asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 hot red chili pepper, split or chopped (add another chili if you like more heat)

1 can coconut milk (about 14 ounces)

1 cup vegetable stock

2 tablespoons brown sugar

10 to 12 medium to large basil leaves, torn or chopped

4 tablespoons green curry paste 

1 tablespoon soy sauce

chopped cilantro to garnish (cilantro is also known as fresh coriander)

In a large skillet, heat the peanut oil over medium heat. Saute the chopped green onions, ginger and garlic for about 2 or 3 minutes, then add the carrots, asparagus, red bell pepper and chili pepper; cook for 7 or 8 minutes, then mix in the green curry paste and cook another 2 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and the vegetable stock, as well as the brown sugar; stir to mix everything. Simmer the mixture for about 10 to 12 minutes (the vegetables should be tender). Stir in the soy sauce and the torn basil leaves. After 2 minutes, remove from the heat. Garnish each serving with chopped cilantro. Serve over rice or with rice on the side.

 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Coco-A separate, but scarce word in its own right, mainly known for its use in the compound "coconut." It is not related to "cocoa," but the two words have long been confused in English; thus resulting in the word "cacao" becoming "cocoa" in English from the influence of "coco." Anyway, the ultimate origin of "coco" is unknown, but it is related to "cocoon," and it goes back to the transliterated Greek noun "kókkos," meaning "seed, kernel, berry." Latin borrowed the word as "coccum," with essentially the same meanings. Portuguese sailing expeditions encountered palm trees and their fruit in the Pacific and Indian Ocean areas and they used the word "coco" for the large shaggy looking, shell-encased fruit of the palm tree. The appearance of the coconut brought the comparison to a skull, with the openings and shaggy exterior looking like a face, although a scary face; thus also, "a bogeyman," and also, "monkey face." Spanish explorers also encountered this palm fruit, and seemingly used the same word for the Spanish terminology, although they picked up the "bogeyman" meaning from Portuguese. English borrowed the word in the mid 1500s likely from both Portuguese and Spanish.        

Baked Bean Curry

A few years ago, a stand opened at Cleveland's West Side Market featuring English food products. It was called "English Treats," and one of their main products were Heinz canned baked beans in a variety of "flavors," one of those being "curry." I tried a can of these curry baked beans, and I liked them, but I just really assumed it was a "flavor" of beans developed from the British close association with the Indian subcontinent dating back to British Colonial India, but later I learned the beans are actually Indian. I don't often mention brand names, but in England and other parts of the British Isles, "Heinz" canned baked beans are VERY popular. One of the ladies who worked at the food stand told me this, and she is from England. "It is my understanding" that similar is true in India, where, I believe, the Heinz baked beans are vegetarian. In the U.S., this brand of baked beans is marketed by Heinz as "Vegetarian Baked Beans" (you've got to admit, it's a catchy name that undoubtedly took someone at least 3 or 4 seconds to come up with). Anyway, if you like baked beans with meat, typically bacon, do it! And if your last name's Pruitt, "do it, Pruitt!" I use the vegetarian beans, but if you use the beans with meat, just don't tell me, I won't sleep for a week; other than that, it won't bother me. Understand too, use whatever brand name canned baked beans you prefer, and there are many good ones to choose from, and I only mentioned the Heinz brand, because that's how this all started. (Okay Randy, we get the point! Now YOU get TO the point! Geez!)

    

Baked beans come in various size cans, but use one that is between 14.5 to 16 ounces (415g to 450g). Use ground red pepper to suit your taste, but heat lovers will want a full tablespoon of red pepper, and Indians generally use that amount. This bean curry is often eaten on toast or with Indian breads like naan or chapati.

 

Ingredients: (about 4 servings)

 

1 can baked beans (14 1/2 to 16 ounce can)

1/3 cup chopped onion (white or red)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 or 3 green chiles (jalapeño or serrano are great), split lengthwise (or chopped)

2 teaspoons grated ginger

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon ground red pepper (cayenne or other type)

1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped

 

 

Heat oil over medium heat in a skillet or a sauce pan. Add the onion and saute for about 2 minutes, then add the chilies and saute until the onions soften, stirring frequently to prevent sticking or burning. Add the ginger, garlic, ground coriander, ground cumin and ground red pepper, mix well and saute for about 1 minute. Add chopped tomato and cook until the tomato is mushy (use a fork or spatula to press down on the tomato pieces). Add the beans and salt, mix well and cook for 5 more minutes (still medium heat). Stir in chopped coriander.

 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Stint-This word is closely related to the verb "stunt," and it is somewhat more distantly related to "stutter," both words from the Germanic roots of English. It goes back to Indo European "(s)teu," and its extended form "steud/steut," which had the notion "beat, hit, pound, knock." This gave Old Germanic "stuntijanan," which meant "to make shorter, to make blunt." This gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "styntan," which meant, "to make blunt;" thus also, "to make dull;" thus also figuratively, "to dull the mind." Over the centuries the verb extended beyond "making dull" to "stopping (something)," then "limiting (something)," likely from the idea of "shortening," a meaning likely either added to or reinforced in Old English by Old Norse influence.^ The noun came about circa 1600 with the meaning, "a job limited in duties and/or time," which then broadened to mean things beyond work, as in, "Mary had a stint at home when her company closed for three weeks," or, "Joey's parents ordered him do a 3 hour stint studying, after he failed his arithmetic exam." (But he only studied 2 hours. Hey, I told you he failed his arithmetic exam. hahaha). Relatives in the other Germanic languages are tough to untangle from the verb "stunt" (to hinder growth), but German has the noun "Stint," meaning "smelt" (the fish that looks like a small salmon or trout, which is perhaps the reason for the name?).

 

^ Old Norse was another Germanic language, but from the North Germanic branch of the Germanic languages. Its most prominent descendants are Danish, Faroese, Icelandic, Norwegian and Swedish. Old Norse speakers settled in parts of northern and eastern England about 1000 years ago, which added Norse words, meanings or grammatical influences to English. The direct "to shorten" meaning has not been found in Old English, although the "to make blunt" meaning common in the English of those times implies "shortening." Old Norse had "stytta," a relative of the English word and meaning, "to shorten, to reduce," and that's why it's main meaning may have influenced the English word. 

Thai Pumpkin Curry

This is a great and nutritious curry. Thai red curry paste is available in many supermarkets, Asian grocery stores and some spice and seasoning shops (it's not expensive). It is usually sold in small jars, which is how I buy it, but just to prove me wrong, when I went to buy it for this recipe, they were out of the brands in jars, but they had it in small cans.

 

Ingredients (4 servings): 

 

3 cups chopped fresh pumpkin, in bite-size pieces (you can substitute acorn or butternut squash, if you'd like)

3 tablespoons peanut oil

1/4 cup chopped red onion

4 cloves minced garlic

2 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 hot chili pepper (preferably red, but green is fine)

3 or 4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste 

1 cup kale, torn into smaller pieces, with no thick stems

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper (use black pepper if you don't have white)

3/4 teaspoon ground coriander

2/3 cup mild chicken broth or vegetable broth

1 can (13.5 to 14 ounces) coconut milk

2 teaspoons soy sauce + 1 teaspoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

garnish with roasted peanuts and/or cashews or serve on the side 

Heat the peanut oil in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat. Add the red onion, garlic, ginger, chili pepper and red bell pepper; saute for about 3 minutes, then stir in the Thai red curry paste. Cook just about 1 1/2 minutes (don't let anything scorch or get dark in color), then add the pumpkin, ground turmeric, ground cinnamon, ground white pepper, ground coriander, and stir constantly. After another 2 minutes, add the chicken or vegetable broth and let the curry heat up again until it begins to bubble, stirring occasionally. Adjust the heat (to low or to 'simmer,' if you have that setting) to maintain a steady light simmer (not a rolling boil) and let the curry simmer about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender (when the pumpkin is about half cooked, add the kale and continue to mix the kale in as it cooks down). When the pumpkin is just tender, stir in the coconut milk, and mix it in well. Do your best to dissolve the brown sugar in the soy sauce and then stir this into the curry (civilization will not end if the brown sugar isn't completely dissolved, as it will dissolve in the hot liquid). Cook a further 2 to 3 minutes, then mix in the fresh lime juice. You can sprinkle some roasted peanuts and/or roasted cashews on top of each serving, or simply serve them on the side. Serve with rice. 

I put the peanuts and cashews in a small dish on the side ... 

WORD HISTORY:

Shawl-The origin of this word is uncertain, but it "could" be as simple as being derived from transliterated Persian "Shaliat," the Persian form of transliterated "Chaliyam," a city in southwestern India.^ The "theory" is, the cloth used for making the piece of clothing used as a large scarf for the head and upper body got its name from the city where it was made. The Persian form, transliterated "shal," was taken by Urdu and Hindi and then borrowed by English in the mid 1600s, when England was getting more and more involved in India. German seems to have had initial exposure to the word from Persian, but it didn't really become more common in German until the 1700s as a borrowing from its cousin, English; and indeed, German used the spelling "Shawl," but later altered it to the more typical German phonetic spelling of "Schal." 

 

^ Chaliyam/Shaliat is in the Indian state of Kerala in southwestern India, along the part of the Indian Ocean known as the Arabian Sea. The main language there is Malayam, which is from the Dravidian family of languages (English is from the Germanic family of languages, which is from the broader Indo European language family).  

Bengali/Bangladeshi Chicken Liver Curry

Bengal is a region of the Indian Subcontinent that transcends northeastern India and western Bangladesh. The nation of Bangladesh was long a part of India, as was Pakistan, but upon independence from Britain in 1947, Pakistan was created from what were predominantly Muslim areas of northwestern and northeastern India, accompanied by a massive movement by some Muslims to these regions from what was to remain India, and by many Hindus from these areas to India. While these areas became the nation of Pakistan, they were separated by many hundreds of miles. The eastern part, called "East Pakistan," or sometimes, "Pakistani Bengal," gained independence from Pakistan as the nation of "Bangladesh" in 1971. West Bengal has remained a part of India. 

 

This is an easy dish to make. Many foods of the Indian Subcontinent are spicy hot to varying degrees, and this recipe is no exception (your taste buds will awaken), but you can tone it down considerably by using a mild chili pepper and then adding some ground red pepper AND sweet paprika. If you like "hot and spicy" foods and you live in the vicinity of an Indian/Pakistani grocery, or a supermarket with lots of ethnic food products, I hope you'll try "Indian" chili powder, which is hot and typically has a bright red color. I've made this dish several times, and the photos below are from two different times. You will need to add a little water to the dish, but you don't want this dish to be runny or with lots of sauce; so, add water by the tablespoon until you reach the desired consistency (I've suggested 3 to 5 tablespoons of water).   

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds chicken livers, cut into bize size pieces
2 cups chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 inch piece ginger, minced/grated
1 to 3 green chilies (serranos or jalapeños are fine), chopped
1 heaping teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons ground red pepper (or 1 teaspoon red pepper and 1 teaspoon sweet paprika)

2 inch cinnamon stick

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 to 5 tablespoons water 

1 tablespoon butter 

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

 

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Saute for 1 minute, then add the chopped onion and continue cooking until the onion begins to soften, stirring often to make sure all the onion cooks. Add the ginger, garlic and chilies and cook a further minute. Now add the ground coriander, ground cumin, ground turmeric, ground red pepper, black pepper and water; stir to mix, then add the chicken livers and stir again to mix everything together. Reduce the heat to low, cover, but lift the lid or foil to stir occasionally as the livers cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Add the butter and let it melt, then stir it in. Serve with rice. 

 

 

WORD HISTORY:

Fourth (Farthing)-"Farthing" was a measurement of "one fourth of a penny;" thus also, "the coin representing one fourth of a penny," which was used in England (later in the UK/Britain) until several decades ago. "Farthing" is closely related to "four" and all of its derived forms, like "forty," all of which are from the Germanic roots of English, but it is also distantly related to both "quart" and to "quarter," Latin derived words borrowed by English via French. "Farthing" traces back to Indo European "kwetwor/kwetwer," which meant "four." This gave the Old Germanic offshoot, "fetwor/petwor" (a sound shift took place, thus the uncertainty of the spelling) and this gave Old English (Anglo-Saxon) "feower," meaning "four." The form in Old Germanic for the ordinal number; that is, "fourth," is hard to determine, but it seems likely to have been like "feurtha" or "feurtho," with the pronunciation similar to "fe-ore-tha," and the other simply ending in "tho." This gave Old English "feorþa," meaning "fourth," and it later became "ferthe," with the ending 'e' pronounced 'eh/ah,' but don't be surprised if you look at some writings from like the 1300s and 1400s and see spellings other than "ferthe," some perhaps with a beginning 'v,' a use that gained more traction for the spelling, but not the pronunciation, of some words in German and Dutch, both continental relatives of English. Regardless of those spellings, English settled on "fourth." Relatives in the other Germanic languages: German "vierte," Low German has "foerde" and "veerte" (Low German is not a standardized language, but rather a collection of dialects; thus, there are likely other spellings), West Frisian "fjirde," Dutch "vierde," Danish "fjerde," Icelandic "fjórða" ('ð' is called an 'eth' and it is equivalent to English 'th'), Norwegian "fjerde," Swedish "fjärde." All of these forms mean "fourth." The derived English word "farthing" is simply a form of "fourth" with the common suffix "-ing," a form that has been in English for well over 1000 years. It is a common suffix in the Germanic languages (as "ing" and sometimes "ung"), and it goes back to Old Germanic "inga/unga."  

Indian Chicken Curry

"Chicken Curry" is a popular dish on the Indian subcontinent, as well as in the United Kingdom, as it was one of the dishes brought there during the time when much of the subcontinent was a British colony. With trading ships traveling the world and stopping in so many places and with people of the Indian subcontinent emigrating to other parts of the world, recipes for chicken curry spread elsewhere, and as you can imagine, there are numerous recipes, but there are many variations right within the Indian subcontinent,* including some with far less sauce, often called "gravy" by people of the subcontinent. As I have said before about some Indian recipes, they can contain a long list of ingredients, but that's often because these recipes contain many wonderful spices. 

You can use chicken pieces with bones, which IS traditional, but let's be honest, boneless chicken is easy to deal with when eating, so that's what I often use, and I haven't been hit by a piece of naan bread yet, darn it! It's so good. I've also used some bright red sweet paprika, which is not traditional, but it helps to give more red color to the dish.**

Ingredients:

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds small chicken pieces, bones-in or boneless
2 medium onions, chopped
2 to 3 chilies (serranos or jalapeños are good), chopped
2 to 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 inch piece ginger, grated
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil (or olive oil)
2/3 teaspoon turmeric
2 bay leaves
1 heaping teaspoon ground red pepper (like cayenne)
1 heaping teaspoon sweet paprika, the redder the color, the better
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (also called coriander)
(optional) if you want to thicken the curry, grind up 10 or 12 cashews, stir the meal into the gravy

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until browned. When the onion is not quite browned, add the garlic and the ginger and saute until the onion is browned, stirring or swirling the ingredients in the pan as they cook (to prevent them from burning). Add the chopped chilies, chopped tomato and the turmeric, saute until chilies and tomatoes soften. Add the chicken and stir to mix, cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often to brown the chicken pieces somewhat. Add the ground red pepper, paprika, ground coriander, ground cumin, black pepper, ground cloves, cinnamon, salt, stir well to mix in everything. Add the water and stir again, cook for a minute or two, then cover, reduce heat to low and cook about 25 minutes. If using ground cashews, stir them in and continue stirring for about another 1 to 2 minutes. Good served with rice or naan bread, or even better, with both.

* In northeastern India and Bangladesh they often add potatoes to the dish. Sri Lanka is one of the countries of the Indian subcontinent and I have a recipe for a Sri Lankan chicken curry at this link: https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2018/03/sri-lankan-chicken-curry.html

** The red peppers used in much of the cooking of the Indian subcontinent give a nice bright red color, something not always easy to duplicate with "Western" chili powders or ground red peppers.

WORD HISTORY:
Bandana-This word is related to "bind," "bend," "bond" and "band,"^ all words from the Germanic roots of English. "Bandana" (also spelled "bandanna" by some) goes back to Indo European "bhendh," which had the notion of "to tie, tie up, to bind." This gave Sanskrit "badhnati," which meant "binds." This gave Hindi "bandhnu," meaning "a process of tying cloth and then dyeing it" (the source of modern tie-dyeing). This was borrowed by English in the mid 1700s as "bandanna" (apparently double 'n' initially and by some still today), meaning, "colorful handkerchief," later in American English usage, "handkerchief worn around the neck by cowboys," then also, "colorful cloth worn on the head." 

^ The meaning of "band" for "a group of people, often like outlaws or musicians," was borrowed by English from French. The meaning, "strip of something, usually flat, that separates an area from another, often by color," also came from French ("bande") and it influenced (expanded) the existing English meaning "strip of something used to bind." The French form came from the same Old Germanic source, but was absorbed into French from Germanic Frankish. 

Indian/Pakistani Ground Meat & Peas: Keema Mattar

The roots of this dish seem to date back at least a few hundred years to a time when the Muslim Mughals (see "Word History" below) controlled a good part of the Indian subcontinent; thus, the dish can also be made with ground ('keema' means 'mince,' sometimes now spelled 'qeema') beef, as well as either ground lamb or ground goat, with the latter two especially used by Hindus, as cows are respected in Hinduism, even among many Hindus who are not vegetarians. The general dish likely predates the tomato and chili pepper ingredients, the inclusion of which would have had to have been later, as tomatoes and chili peppers didn't arrive in India until the 1500s, taken there by the Portuguese from the New World. The Portuguese established a colony in western India (Goa).     

In England and other parts of Britain the term "coriander" is common for the parsley like plant, while in American English the term for the same plant is "cilantro," a borrowing from Spanish, and I dare say, many Americans would not likely know what you meant if you said "coriander."  

This dish is commonly served with rice and/or Indian breads, like chapati, naan or paratha, which is a layered bread "similar to," but not the same as, puff pastry.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds ground lamb or ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated or chopped
2 inch piece of cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or clarified butter (ghee)
2  jalapeño or serrano chilies, chopped
2/3 teaspoon ground hot red pepper (like cayenne pepper)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/4 cups water 
1 1/2 cups peas
4 heaping tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro), divided use  

In a large skillet, heat the oil or ghee over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick and cloves, saute about 30 to 45 seconds, then add the onion and cook about 2 to 3 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, chilies, ground red pepper, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, salt and cook for about another 4 minutes. Add the ground meat and cook for about 5 minutes. Mix the tomato paste with the water and add to the skillet, stirring to mix everything together well. Let the curry come to a boil, then reduce the heat a bit to keep the curry at a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, until the meat is cooked, then add the peas and cook 6 to 8 minutes until they are cooked. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped coriander/cilantro, then garnish each serving with some chopped coriander/cilantro.
 
With paratha bread, a layered flatbread ...  

WORD HISTORY:
Mogul-This word, meaning "rich and powerful person, usually a business person," goes back to the Persian form for "Mongol," usually transliterated as "Mughal." The Mughals established an empire in southern Asia in the 1500s, and their leaders claimed a heritage dating back to Mongol ruler Genghis Khan; thus, the connection to "Mongol." The Mughal emperor had the world famous Taj Mahal built in India during the 1600s. The word was borrowed into English in the second half of the 1600s, but the idea of the rich and powerful "Mughal" emperors in India led English to the meaning of a rich and powerful person, as "mogul."   

Butternut Squash, Apple & Pear Curry

You can easily make this on the stove top or in a slow cooker. If you like some "kick," you can add some fresh chili pepper or cayenne pepper. To thicken the curry, I use some cornstarch and water. "Cornstarch" is the North American term, but in England and other parts of Britain and many former British colonies, the term used is "cornflour."

Ingredients:

3 to 4 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (1 medium to large butternut squash)
1 1/2 cups chopped apple (you can leave the peel on, if you'd like)
1 1/2 cups chopped pear (should be firm, not soft, and you can leave the peel on, if you'd like)
2 inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped or sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
1/3 cup chopped green onions (including most of the green)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2/3 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
(optional) 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper and/or 1 fresh red or green chili pepper, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water, mixed very well 
1 can coconut milk (about 13.5 to 14 ounces, depending upon brand)
serve with rice

Put all ingredients, except the cornstarch/water mixture and the coconut milk, into a slow cooker or a heavy bottomed pan. If using a slow cooker, set on "high" for one hour, then turn to low and let the curry cook for another three hours, or until the squash, in particular, is just about tender. You don't want the squash, apple and pear pieces falling apart mushy though, and the dish will cook a little more, so the squash will be completely tender by then. If cooking on the stove top, set the heat to low and cover the pan from the beginning; otherwise, the liquid will evaporate, but just check the curry occasionally, stir it a bit, then replace the lid. When the squash is tender, stir in the cornstarch mixture and allow the curry to thicken, then stir in the coconut milk and let the curry heat up completely again. Serve with rice.

WORD HISTORY:
Rural-This word is related through Indo European to "room," a word from the Germanic roots of English. "Rural" goes back to Indo European "reu/rew/row," with the basic notion of "open space." This gave Latin the noun "rus," meaning, "open land, countryside, farm land." Its genitive form was "ruris," which produced the Latin adjective "ruralis" and meaning, "of, or relating to, the countryside." This passed into Latin-based Old French as "rural," with the same meaning. English borrowed the word in the first quarter of the 1400s.

Kenyan Curried Cabbage

Kenya is a country in eastern Africa. It has a pretty diverse population and its official languages are Swahili* and English. Kenyans have much Indian influence in their cooking, with "chapati,"** a type of flatbread, being one of those influences. In the first couple of decades of the 20th Century, thousands of Indians went to Kenya when both countries were under British colonial rule. This curry is another of the Indian influences on Kenya. This is not a spicy "hot" dish, but if you like spicy heat, you could add a chili pepper or two to the recipe.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
1 carrot, shredded
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 tablespoons flour
1/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon salt 

In a large skillet, heat the oil over low heat, then add the onion. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add the cabbage and carrot (it will look like a mountain, but it will cook down). Cook over low heat until the vegetables soften. Combine the milk, curry powder and flour, mix well, then add it to the cabbage/carrot and stir it in well. Cook for a couple of minutes, then season with salt and white pepper. 

* Swahili is a language of the Bantu family of languages, a branch of the broader Niger/Congo family of languages.  

** "Chapati" is easy to make:  https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2018/10/easy-flatbread-of-indian-subcontinent.html

WORD HISTORY:
Bwana-This word is distantly related to "abbot," a word borrowed by English from Latin long ago, but "abbot" is a word which traces back to the Middle East. While in modern times "bwana" has often been used in a comical or disparaging way in English, because of racism, its heritage is anything but comical or disparaging. It goes back to transliterated Semitic^ "ab," meaning "father," and "bna," meaning "our;" thus, "our father," "head of the family," and by extension, "leader." This gave its transliterated Arabic offspring "abuna," with the same meanings. This was borrowed by Swahili (see note * above) as "bwana," meaning, "leader, master." With European colonization of Africa and the exploration of remote areas of the large continent, English came into contact with the word "bwana" through Swahili, and it often came to be used by the African workers for the "white" leader of a safari. The word was borrowed by English in the last quarter of the 1800s.

^  The Semitic languages are a group of related languages "centered" in the Middle East and eastern Africa, but also spoken beyond those areas. The most common modern Semitic languages are Arabic, Amharic, Hebrew and Tigrinya, but in ancient times Semitic included Assyrian and Phoenician, which was spoken in the Middle East and in North Africa by the Carthaginians.