My sister-in-law Katie sent me this recipe that she found in the New York Times. She prepared it with asparagus and she and her husband Rick loved the dish. So, of course I had to make it too. But I didn’t have any asparagus. But I did have green beans. Lots of green beans. In fact we had been eating so many green beans in the last week that I was reluctant to serve them to Mr. C. (again) last evening. (We get a by-weekly veggie and salad box from a local farm. And one of the items in the mix was a pound of beautiful organic green beans. I had also ordered a few extra veggies to be delivered at the same time. And you guessed it. One of the items I had requested was a pound of green beans.) So you see, we were replete with beans.

But I decided to fix the dish anyway. And I am so glad I did. Of course I made a couple very simple changes. I used a bit more veggie oil than directed. I took the chicken out of the pan when it finished cooking, then added it back to the pan just before adding the sauce. And I added a teaspoon of cornstarch to the sauce to thicken it up a bit. But that’s it.

For a dish with so few ingredients, it was absolutely delicious and tasted very complex. And exotic. And loving to cook from world cuisines, this was right up my alley. But to which country or region should I offer my thanks and praise? After a short bit of research and a good dose of guess work, I decided that this dish, or one very similar to it must have its origin in India. But don’t quote me on that. I just love Indian food, so it only made sense to me that it would be just another wonderful Indian dish.

After I made this dish last evening, I went to the source recipe and read some of the reviews. Almost universally, the people who wrote reviews added additional ingredients to the recipe. And yes, I often do that too. In fact I did add a teaspoon of cornstarch. So no offense intended towards anyone who made this dish their own.

But I am going to recommend that you not add any additional spices or veggies or change amounts. Just follow this very simple recipe as written. The flavor is lovely, and part of the charm is in its simplicity. (I didn’t have to slice even one veggie!)

So thank you again Katie for sending me this recipe. It was perfect served with brown rice, as you suggested, and a simple salad.

To all of you who are cooking for yourself or your families, I salute you. As much as I enjoy cooking, it’s still work. I too get tired and I’m only cooking for the two of us.

So stay positive, cook what you like best, and be creative. Try new recipes. And invent recipes using ingredients you have in your pantry or cupboard. As I was drifting off to sleep last night I was thinking about the turmeric I had used in this dish. I realized that the turmeric was at least 20 years old, probably more. Had to be. I remember buying a large bag of it at the Cost Plus World Market in Bellevue when I was working in downtown Bellevue. I obviously haven’t been using a lot of turmeric. But I can tell you after making this dish, I am going to be cooking with it a lot more in the future. Maybe I can even use it up before I go to that big stainless steel kitchen in the sky. (And no, you don’t have to throw dried herbs and spices away after a year. They actually have a shelf life of “indefinitely”! However, you might have to use a little more than listed if your herbs and spices are well aged.)

As always, peace, love, and happy kitchens to all.

¼ c. water

3 T. honey

¾ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

kosher salt

1 tsp. cornstarch

2 T. all-purpose flour

1½ tsp. ground turmeric

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 T. canola oil

12 oz. fresh asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced on an angle or fresh green beans, sliced lengthwise (carefully) and then cut into shorter lengths

1 tsp. unseasoned rice vinegar  

½ lime, cut into wedges, opt.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir the water, honey, pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, and cornstarch together. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, turmeric, and 1 teaspoon of salt together. Add the chicken and toss until coated.

In a medium (10-inch) nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium high. Add the chicken and cook until the turmeric is fragrant and the chicken is golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side or until the chicken is completely cooked. Remove the chicken to a small bowl.

Add the asparagus, season with salt, stir to combine and cook until crisp tender, 1 to 2 minutes. (If you use beans, the cooking time will be longer. You want beans to be just done.)

Add the cooked chicken to the pan, and then the honey mixture. Cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar. Adjust seasoning. Great served with brown rice and fresh lime juice dribbled over the top.