Omg, ok. So I'm a law student right? I spend a LOT of time on campus with friends discussing the latest concepts and just keeping each other afloat. I've really become quite accustomed to my little study group and I find myself constantly comparing our personalities to those of my favorite TV/Reality Shows. I've been everyone from Lauren Conrad, to Phoebe Buffay, to Ted Moseby. Really, I do it because I foster a (not so secret) desire to be famous.
Anyways, so one rainy San Francisco Sunday, not more than a few weeks ago, I met with a few friends for yet another review session. The weather was miserable and the entire day it was rainy, dark, windy, and all around no bueno. Our study sessions usually go for most of the day, and of course, around dinner time, there was a consensual rumble in the jungle and we decided to order in some food. We had been studying in one of the smaller classrooms so we could make use of the projectors and white boards and there was NO way we were going to forge our way, books in tow, out into the Financial District in the middle of a torrential downpour no matter how hungry we were. We just ended up ordering in and thankfully we found an Indian restaurant online that delivered! And they were only 3 blocks away.
We called in, I ordered the Chicken Vindaloo, and they said our food would be ready and sent to us in about 40 minutes.
FAST FORWARD 2 HOURS LATER.
We're pretty much RAGING with hunger and indignation at the tardiness of our food. Even our usual Pictionary games couldn't distract us from the hunger pains. FINALLY, our food arrives. We begrudgingly pay our delivery man, and sit down to eat. Of course, THERE ARE NO UTENSILS OR PLATES.
OMGWTFBBQ?!?!?!?
My friend Katie and I then decide to run over to the nearest Walgreens to pick up some plates and utensils to get our grub on, all the while harping on about "What kind of food delivery doesn't send plates and utensils with their food!?" It was a Sunday night, but there were a bunch of custodial servicemen and women making our campus sparkle, one of whom caught the elevator with us on our way down. Katie and I continued to complain, and the nice man asked us what was the matter. We explained the situation and he just straight up said: "Oh, I'm sure there are plates and utensils here on campus, follow me and I'm sure I could get some for you."
Katie and I were stoked because 1. we wouldn't have to walk out in the rain 2. it was free, and 3. we were THAT much closer to eating. He couldn't have been any nicer and took us to different little closets all over campus and sent us on our way with plates, napkins, spoons, and forks. OMNOMNOM.
I'm 95% sure that man was a ghost.
You know, those stories about like, cars getting stuck on train tracks in the middle of nowhere at night and the people in the car are stuck while a train comes barreling down the tracks? And then somehow, even though the car died, the car is mysteriously pushed away...and one person hears the distant laughter of children...and they see multiple pairs of children's hands on the back bumper when they get out to investigate why they moved?
Or like, when the driver picks up a young hitchhiker in the rain and lends them their sweater, only to show up at the hitchhiker's house to find an old woman saying: "Jane has been dead for ten yeaaarrss!!!" And his sweater is nicely folded on her grave? You know....stuff like that.
Or like, that ghost standing behind you resting his hand on your shoulder?
Made you look didn't I? Freaked out are you? Good.
I'm pretty sure that man was a ghost who appears when students are in distress, only to find some magical way to save them from their problems. I mean, he took us down to the basement...where there were no witnesses. Except me and Katie. She's pish-poshed my theory, but just saying, in the many many many other study sessions we've had, I've never seen him around. Of course, since that Indian food incident, we haven't really been in distress...just saying. I think it makes sense. Ghosts.
ANYWAYS. The food was delicious at the time...but I think my chicken wasn't cooked properly or something, because I felt sick the next day. Probably a punishment from the Ghost for pish-poshing his ghostly existence. But later I was jonesing for some Indian food, and decided to try making a Chicken Vindaloo that wouldn't make me sick. And it was delicious. And I didn't get sick. And I had utensils.
Of course there's most likely nothing authentically Indian about my version, but hot damn, I thought it was delicious.
Chicken Vindaloo a lá Ariel
(serves: hella.)
Ingredients:
Vegetable oil
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 BIG yellow onion, diced
a palmful of peeled and grated ginger (I was lazy and just used strips...which isn't fun if you accidentally bite into one, just FYI)
2 regular sized tomatoes, diced
1 can of tomato sauce
1 teaspoon of garam masala
(it's an Indian spice blend that I found at my local Asian market...I think you could use curry powder, just in case you can't find garam masala)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
CHICKEN!
I used like...one of those styrofoam trays of boneless skinless chicken breasts (heh heh.)
About...oh...2 pounds?
Cut into equal sized cubes (1 inch)
3 big Russet potatotes, peeled and cubed, 1 inch cubes
~2 cans of Chicken broth
It's a hell of a lot of spices, I know, but if you know how to shop/where to look, I found most of these spices in little baggies for like 89¢ a pop.
First of all, take another big big skillet. Heat up one turn of vegetable oil over medium-high heat and toss in the onion, garlic and ginger. Give it a few minutes and once it's fragrant, toss in the tomatoes.
When the tomatoes break down, toss in the tomato sauce and bring that to a gentle simmer.
Take all the spices and dump them ALL into the pan and give it a good stir.
Potatoes take a while to cook, so I threw them in for about 5 minutes before throwing in the chicken. I don't know if putting it all in at the same time would make a difference, but I was afraid of leaving it cooking, waiting for the potatoes to finish while the chicken overcooked and got tough and dry.
Once everything is in, give it a good stir to make sure everything is coated and delicious.
Cover and simmer for 5 minutes...add the chicken broth to make sure there's enough liquid to finish steaming the potatoes and cooking the chicken. It's kind of like cooking rice without a rice cooker...you gotta keep checking it to makes sure it doesn't dry out and burn.
Once the potatoes and chicken are done, add some salt and pepper. And more cayenne if you like it spicy...which I do. NOM.
That's pretty much it. Just serve over rice. It looks intimidating at first because of all the spices, but it's really not that hard.
Oh, and when you make it, call me, because I'll be hungry. Of course.
NAMASTE!