What is Southern Food? (And Curry Chicken, Part Two!)

My husband came home from a meeting at the school last week telling me that a student group at the seminary is discussing having an International night this semester.  One of the cultures represented?  Southern.  I didn't quite know that we were international, but you know, I love talking about the South so much that I might just go as an ambassador!

Of course, we started discussing just what we might offer if we were to represent sweet Dixie.  We both agreed would have to go with something that most people associate with the south.  I came across a "Southern" food stand at a market up here which offered the exact thing I am talking about.  What is Southern food (to a Yankee)?  It is fried!  Chicken, catfish, okra, cornbread, take your pick.  The fried offerings at that market represent the world's (or the North's) conceptions of everything Southern.  Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of fried food to go around in the South, but there's more to the south than that.  So we kept thinking; what else is as closely associated with the South as fried chicken?  Bingo, there are casseroles!  And these are not just any casseroles, they are made with cans of condensed soup. 

The problem is, apart from a very few exceptions, I don't make can of soup casseroles.  Also, I have never made fried chicken, or anything else that required a large vat of oil, in my house!  It's just not me.  I have an identity crisis; can I call myself Southern?

Well, if you have been reading here for any time at all, or if you are from the South yourself, you know there is more to Southern food than fried chicken and can of soup casseroles.  So, what would you have represent the South?  Me?  I am thinking that shrimp and grits and a taste of real, homemade banana pudding gives a great feel for the comfort food kingdom.  Or maybe I would have BBQ chicken and cornbread, and bread pudding for dessert.  So, hypothetically, if you were asked to make a Southern meal at an International celebration, how would you represent Dixie?  Let me hear from you!

In the meanwhile, I'm going to leave you with one of my few dishes that does use a can of condensed soup (or two!).  It's Curry Chicken, Southern style!  This meal is so fast, and the recipe can easily be multiplied to feed a crowd.  It is one of my go-to recipes when we are entertaining large groups of people for lunch or supper. 

Quick Curry Chicken

1 cup green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons red curry powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ginger
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 1/2 cups cooked chicken

Cook the onion in butter until tender, but not brown.  Add the soup; heat and stir until smooth.  Stir in sour cream, spices, and lemon juice.  Add the chicken and heat through.  Serve over hot rice.  Sprinkle condiments over curry as desired. 

Condiments:  flaked sweetened coconut, chopped roasted peanuts, chutney, chopped green onion, chopped hard boiled eggs, crumbled bacon. 

A Tale of Two Curries (Chapter 1)

What a weekend! I have never seen so much snow in my life. Saturday we received a couple of feet of snow, and we don't quite know what to do with ourselves! Of course, we went out to play in it, and we needed something to warm us up when we returned to our apartment.

We enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate while our damp outer-layers tumbled in the dryer. Later on that night, we kept warm by enjoying the first round of two different kinds of curry chicken.

On our food calendar this semester, one day per week is dedicated to an international meal. So this week we had "Indian" food, a coconut curry chicken. Now, I do not know if this curry is authentically Indian, but it is definitely authentically delicious. It was good the first night we made it, and I thought that the flavors got better with time, making it a great meal for leftovers or for making ahead! We enjoyed it with a yogurt-cucumber salad, which was nothing to write home about; however I would recommend some kind of similar, cooling side, because the curry has a little kick to it!

Coconut Curry Chicken

Adapted from Allrecipes

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced thinly

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons red curry powder

½ onion, thinly sliced

1 bell pepper, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

¼ cup sugar
1 cup basmati or jasmine rice

Fill a medium pot with one quart of water. Add 1 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, cook the curry.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the curry powder, and stir for 3-4 minutes (It will be pretty dry and very fragrant). Add the onions, peppers and garlic and sauté for one more minute. Add the chicken, toss to coat with curry oil, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 7-10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

Stir in the coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce and sugar. Stir to combine. Simmer uncovered for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the curry is simmering, add the cup of rice to the pot of boiling water. Cook according to the package directions (usually around 20 minutes, covered). When the rice is done, pour into a colander to drain the cooking water. Return the drained rice to the cooking pot and cover to keep warm until the curry chicken is done. Enjoy!