Happy Friday!
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Well, with the weather being what it has been in the northeast this week (cold and snowy and conducive to cabin fever), I thought maybe it was time to bring back the Friday afternoon recipes at the Froggy Bottom.

Here’s what I’m making this weekend while we’re visiting with old friends and waiting for the snow to melt (btw, it’s from the cookbook advertised to the left…shameless plug!):

Chicken in a Sweet Red Pepper Sauce

2.25 lb chicken pieces
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1-inch cube fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2.5 Tbsp blanched, slivered almonds
¾ lb red sweet peppers, trimmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground turmeric
1/8 to ½ tsp cayenne papper
2 tsp salt
7 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper

If chicken legs are whole, separate drumsticks from thighs; breasts should be cut into 4 parts.  Skin all chicken pieces.

Combine the onion, ginger, garlic, almonds, peppers, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and salt in the container of a food processor or blender.  Blend, pushing down with a rubber spatula when needed until you have a paste.

Put the oil in a wide, preferably nonstick, pot and set over medium-high heat.  When hot, pour in all the paste.  Stir and fry it for 10-12 minutes or until you see the oil forming tiny bubbles around it.

Put in the chicken, with the water, lemon juice, and black pepper.  Stir to mix and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer gently for 25 minutes or until the chicken is tender.  Stir a few times.

Serve with Aromatic Yellow Rice.

Of course, now you need the recipe for the aromatic yellow rice (which of course, lives up to its name…):

Aromatic Yellow Rice

2 cups long-grain basmati rice
2 2/3 cup water
1 ¼ tsp salt
¾ tsp ground turmeric
3-4 cloves
1-inch cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves
3 Tbsp butter, cut into small pats

Put the rice in a bowl and rinse with several changes of water.  Drain.  Pour fresh water over the rice and let it soak for 30 minutes.  Drain the rice in a strainer.

Combine the drained rice, 2 2/3 cups water, salt, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaves in a heavy pot and bring to boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, tunr heat to very, very low, and cook for 25 minutes.  NO PEEKING!  Let the pot rest, covered and undisturbed, for 10 minutes.  

Add the small pats of butter to the rice and mix them very gently using a fork.  Remove whole spice before serving.

So, how are you all keeping yourselves entertained this week? Got any recipes to share?  Sunny and warm weather you want to brag about?