almond-chicken (poulet aux amandes)

this is a dish I made up one day looking at what I had in my fridge and spices and wanting to make something 'exotic'.

you'll need :
approximately 800gm of chicken (I usually use half boneless diced to around 1 inch cubes, and half drumsticks or thigh)
3 biggish onions finely chopped
2 tablespoons of ginger-garlic paste
green cardamom (around 5 cloves)
saffran
Almond flakes (around 100gm)
Almond powder (around 50gm)
Whole cream milk
butter to cook

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I first sautée the chicken in butter until golden brown (remove and keep aside)

then sautée the onions
add in the crushed cardamom and the almond flakes
stir until the almond starts browning
add in the ginger garlic paste
add in the chicken
pour in around 700ml of milk
add the almond powder and the saffran (I've tried it with turmeric and that's good too)
add salt and pepper or chilli to taste

cover and cook on a low flame
I've never really checked how long I cook it - until its done? - which is usually when the almond milk starts thickening and if you press into a drumstick the meat falls off the bone easily.

again, this is good with rice - and also surprisingly with french bread.
and wine - a bourginon red would be good, a little lighter on the palate.

ratatouille

you'll need :
2 zucchinis
1 biggish aubergine
2 bell peppers (I prefer red)
3 tomatoes
1 biggish onion
2 cloves of garlic
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cut all the ingredients up into around 1 inch cubes (or smaller)

in a pan sautée all the ingredients seperately in olive oil in this order :
1st the peppers (remove and keep aside in a big bowl)
2nd the aubergine (remove and add to the big bowl)
3rd the zucchini (add to the bowl)
4th the onions and tomatoes together

once the onions and tomatoes are done, add in all the other ingredients from the big bowl.

salt and pepper to taste.  - since I have Indian genes, when I cook for myself I add red chillies.

cover and cook on low flame
after about 10 minutes add the garlic

cover and cook for another 30 minutes

ET VOILA!

I love eating this with rice.
In France ratatouille is usually as an accompaniment to red meat or sausages.
And of course red wine!  I like Cotes du Rhone wines, but the coarser wines from southern France (since this is a southern french dish) are also good.