Virtual Curry Bash

Due to COVID 19, we will not be having our traditional Curry Bash in person. But we’re excited to have you join us in a virtual Curry Bash! From November 14-November 21, we’ll be sharing videos on our website www.mennoclinicindia.org and our Facebook page from Doc, Doctor Titus (our physician at Menno Clinic), cooking videos from Olga, devotions from Pastor Gene Hartman, and a special video from all board members. Join us and the Menno Clinic family, including special meals from Olga’s recipes (in this newsletter) you can eat while watching!

The Curry Bash is our largest fundraising event. Canceling it puts a dent in our funding. If you have been a contributor during the Curry Bash each year, please still contribute even though we are not able to meet in person. Your giving is personal to each person we help at Menno Clinic.

Recipes From Olga

Since we all can’t meet and eat at the Curry Bash together, I thought why not all of us make the same dish and celebrate! I hope all of you are safe and sound.

There are so many YouTube tutorials on how to make just about any kind of food. This is my version of Mint rice. My mom is a vegetarian and such a picky eater. On one of my trips to India, I made this dish and she loved it. So from then on, every time I am in India I make this for my mom and for the staff at the clinic.

I’m sharing the mint rice recipe, along with two others that I hope you’ll make during Curry Bash week while you watch the videos we’ll be sharing!

Mint Rice

2 cups Basmati Rice (or any white rice )

3 cups water

1/2. Teaspoon salt (adjust as per your taste)

1 Hot Pepper cut in into half

1 Teaspoon grated zinger

1 Teaspoon grated garlic

1 cup fine chopped Cilantro

1 cup fine chopped Mint

1 medium Onion sliced thin

1 lemon or lime juice

4 Tablespoons oil

2 Tablespoons butter

2 small sticks of Cinnamon

10 cloves (skip if you don’t have them)

1/2 cup raw Peanuts or raw Cashews (skip if you don’t have)

• Rinse rice 3 times 
• Add 3 cups water 
• Set aside at least 30 min
• Choose a pan that has tight lid to cook rice.
• Let the rice come to a boil and turn the stove to the lowest temp. Cover with the lid and cook for 15 minutes. The rice should come fluffy.
• Add oil to a large fry pan on medium heat and fry the cashews (or peanuts) Be careful with them as they burn easy. Take the nuts out and set aside.
• To the same pan, add butter, cinnamon, cloves, onions, and sliced hot peppers and fry until the onions start to get a light golden color.
• At this point you canremove the cloves and discard
• Add chopped cilantro, mint, salt, ginger, and garlic and fry them for 30 sec.
• Add cooked rice. Fry it for a minute.
• Drizzle lemon juice and nuts. Fry it one more minute, and you are done with mint rice!

Yogurt Dressing

I think some people like the dressing more than the rice itself. But I think it’s a great combination and they go together well, like milk and cookies!

1 cup sour cream

1 cup store bought plain yogurt

1 small thinly sliced sweet onion

½ cup tomato chopped

½ cup diced cucumber

Salt to taste

Few leaves of diced cilantro

Mix sour cream, salt, and yogurt together. Either you add all the reminder ingredients together and mix or layer them on top of yogurt mixer in a serving bowl.

3. Tandoori Chicken

6 to 8 pieces of boneless skinless chicken thighs

¾ cup sour cream

¼ cup Olive or Canola oil

1 Teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

½ teas turmeric

¼ cup lemon or lime juice

1 teaspoon each ginger and garlic grated

• Mix all the ingredients except chicken in a covered dish
• Remove extra fat off meat and make 2 to 3 slits in each thigh
• Add chicken to the dish and mix well
• Make sure all the meat prices are coated with the marinade
• Put a tight lid and refrigerate 24 hours or at least overnight
• Heat oven to the highest temp
• Line the baking dish with foil and arrange chicken in single layer and loosely cover with foil and bake 40 minutes
• Careful when taking the meat out. There will be lot of juices
• At this point, dump the liquid and it’s ready to serve
• If you like the grilled flavor, you can put it in broiler and cook for 5 min. Or, heat the large fry pan with 2 Tablespoons oil and pan fry quick. Serve with lemon wedges.

I hope you try these recipes and share the pictures with us. May God bless the hands who prepared the food!

Olga