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- "Something Different"
- Savoring The
Slow-Cooked Meal
- BY DANA JACOBI FOR THE AMERICAN
INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH
Braising is one-pot cooking
that is tenderizing, aromatic, incredibly flavorful and easy.
Technically, it means cooking food, with just a little liquid
and tightly covered, over low heat for a long time. Braising
differs from stewing, which uses lots of liquid and can be done
in an uncovered pot. It does not produce the seductively intense
sauces you get from braising.
Because it tenderizes, braising
is ideal for today’s leaner, often tough cuts of meat, especially
the less expensive ones. The moist heat is also ideal for making
skinless poultry as succulent as possible. In fact, a recent
cookbook, In Praise of Braising, by Molly Stevens, recommends
short braising, which takes, at most, an hour of untended simmering,
perfect for both poultry and fish because of its ability to infuse
them with deep flavor.
The best pot for braising is
heavy, ideally made of cast iron, enameled or not, or stainless
steel-clad aluminum, both of which conduct heat slowly and evenly
and work both on top of the stove and in the oven. A tight-fitting
lid holds in the braising liquid along with the juices, so as
the food cooks their flavors can mingle and concentrate. Use
a pot that holds what you are cooking snugly. Placing a sheet
of cooking parchment or foil between the pot and lid can assure
a good seal if a lid does not.
Two of the best braised dishes
I know are Shanghai red-cooked pork and Greek green beans simmered
with tomatoes. Most of the braised dishes you know probably have
foreign origins, from coq au vin - French - and osso bucco -
Italian - to pot roast, which was Americanized from French boeuf
à la mode and German sauerbraten. Many Indian dishes are
braised, including this one. It uses onions two ways - puréed
in a spicy sauce, and sliced to cook on top of the chicken. Draining
the yogurt first before it is stirred into the sauce at the end
makes this dish creamier. I suggest using a Greek- or Turkish-style
yogurt. Thicker and richer, even when reduced-fat or fat-free,
they have become increasingly available at supermarkets.
- Indian-Style Braised Chicken - Makes 4 servings.
- 1 container (6 oz.) low-fat
plain yogurt, preferably Greek-style
- 1 medium yellow onion, coarsely
chopped
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 Tbsp. grated or finely chopped
ginger
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 4 skinless and boneless chicken
breasts or thighs
- 1 Tbsp. canola oil
- Salt and white pepper, to
taste
- 1 Spanish onion, quartered
and sliced thinly
Place the yogurt into a fine
strainer lined with a paper towel and let drain while preparing
the other ingredients. (The yogurt can also be drained overnight,
if refrigerated.)
In a blender or food processor,
purée the onion, garlic, ginger, coriander, turmeric,
cayenne pepper and orange juice. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet
over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on all sides, about
8 minutes. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste and transfer
to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium. Carefully
pour the puréed mixture into the pan to avoid sputters.
Bring it to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan. Cover tightly
and simmer gently 15 minutes. Turn chicken, cover, and continue
to simmer. When chicken is almost done, add onions, cover and
simmer until the meat is thoroughly cooked through. Place the
chicken on a serving plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Turn off heat under skillet
to allow mixture to cool slightly. Stir in the drained yogurt.
Reduce heat to low and continue stirring until mixture is hot,
taking care not to let it boil or the sauce will separate. Spoon
the mixture over the chicken and serve.
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Per serving: 237 calories, 6 g. total fat (1 g.
saturated fat), 15 g. carbohydrate, 31 g. protein, 2 g. dietary
fiber, 115 mg. sodium. |
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“Something Different” is written for the American Institute
for Cancer Research (AICR) by Dana Jacobi, author of The Joy
of Soy and recipe creator for AICR’s Stopping Cancer Before
It Starts.
AICR offers a Nutrition
Hotline (1-800-843-8114)
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday-Friday. This free service allows you
to ask a registered dietitian questions about diet, nutrition
and cancer. AICR is the only major cancer charity focused exclusively
on the link between diet, nutrition and cancer. It provides a
range of education programs that help Americans learn to make
changes for lower cancer risk. AICR also supports innovative
research in cancer prevention and treatment at universities,
hospitals and research centers across the U.S. It has provided
more than $68 million for research in diet, nutrition and cancer.
AICR’s Web address is www.aicr.org. AICR is a member of the
World Cancer Research Fund International. |
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RECIPE POSTED
JANUARY 10, 2005 |
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