April 30, 2020: "Bored" is a Dirty Word

When my kids were little, the rules in our house were pretty lax. As long as they told the truth and were respectful, they knew they could get away with practically anything. They could count on me to stay out of their rooms and to stay calm if anything got broken or dirty. They even joked about it one time, questioning why nothing they could do or say would make me mad. That was true, for the most part, UNTIL...that fateful day when one of them complained that they were "bored." I must have gone into a blind rage because I don't remember which one said it, and I don't remember what I said or did in response. Whatever it was, it had an enormous impact as neither of them ever used the "B" word again.

I'm not 100% sure what made me so mad about that word. I definitely thought it sounded bratty, but it was so much more than that. I mean, there was always something to do, right? There were books to be read, plays to be staged, and games to be invented.

Whatever my reasons at the time, the kids were sufficiently scared. They kept themselves occupied, more often than not by inviting kids over to play. I'd like to think that our house was always a "fun" house-- where there were few rules and unlimited snacks and sodas. Not too long after the "B" incident, however, my kids had neighborhood friends over to play, and I overheard some unfortunate pal mumble that he was bored. Before I could even muster a response, I saw a look of sheer terror come over my children's faces as they quickly hustled their friend outside, explaining how that word was NEVER to be used in our house.

Maybe a lifetime of being scared of the word "bored" has saved us while sheltering-in-place. Certainly none of us enjoys the monotony of each day or the prohibitions on doing so many of the things we enjoy, but we are using this time to engage in more creative pursuits, and we are grateful for the space and opportunity to do so. I didn't start this blog because I was bored; I started it because I was able to clear my head enough to get over my self doubts and get out of my comfort zone.

All that being said, I had been falling into a bit of a cooking rut lately and was getting a little bored tired of cooking the same ol' things. I decided we needed to spice it up a bit so I tried a few new dishes that I will share today and in coming posts. These meatballs were a huge hit (even with my son who swears he doesn't like Indian food or chicken). They pack in a ton of flavor with minimum effort.

Chicken Tikka Meatballs (adapted from Pure Wow)

About 6 servings

Meatballs

2 pounds ground chicken

1 red onion, grated

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

2 large eggs

1/2 cup panko

6 garlic cloves, grated

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons kosher salt 

1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

Sauce

2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes

1 red onion, minced

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 serrano chilis, minced

2 tablespoons garam masala (or, if you are in Charlotte, Savory Spice has Tikka Masala spice)

Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

In a medium bowl, mix together the ground chicken, red onion, cilantro, eggs, panko, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper.

Form the mixture into 2-inch balls and set aside.*

In the bowl of a slow cooker, combine the crushed tomatoes, red onion, garlic, butter, ginger, chilis, and garam masala; season with salt and pepper. 

Very gently stir in the meatballs.*

Turn the slow cooker on low and cook for 6 hours.

Stir in the heavy cream.*

*My meatball mixture seemed very wet, and I was nervous about them falling apart in the slow cooker. I decided to experiment and only put 1/2 of them in the slow cooker. I baked the other 1/2 in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees and then just added them to the slow cooker at the end when I stirred in the cream. Both ways worked; although the oven method adds another step, we liked those meatballs a little more as they developed a better texture.

Serve over cooked basmati rice, with fresh cilantro, baked naan, and raita (recipe below). I also served it with roasted okra.

Raita

My Indian raita looks suspiciously like my Greek tzatziki. I don't have a specific recipe for either but  use whatever spices/herbs are in the other dishes I am making that night so that it complements the meal. Here's how I made it for the Chicken Tikka Meatballs:

2 cups full-fat Greek yogurt (but you can use whatever plain yogurt you have on hand)

1/2 English cucumber, shredded (I don't drain because I like the dip to be a little thinner)

2-4 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro (some fresh mint would also be good if you have)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Juice of 1/2 lemon (can also use lime or omit altogether)

Mix altogether and refrigerate until using. Spoon over the meatballs and use as a dip for naan.

In case I wasn't clear before, we have all dropped LOTS of other curse words during quarantine. A shocking amount, honestly. Just never, ever, the "B" word.