The Kind Blog: Just for the smell of it (panch phoron)

If I were to be granted one wish, I would wish for scratch and sniff capability on my blog. Really, this dish smells that good...

From shopping, to prep, to roasting, this has to be the most intoxicatingly fragrant meal I have ever prepared. It smells as though you are walking through the streets of Northeast India, passing through ghosts of aroma wafting around street food vendors.

Once again, I found this recipe while flipping through my new favorite magazine. I am desperately trying to convince myself that my recent obsession with Sunset has nothing to do with my upcoming milestone birthday. Lately, I find myself relating everything to the fact that I am almost THIRTY. I don't wear high heels much anymore - must be because I'm turning thirty. I stay home on Friday night and pickle Brussel sprouts and green beans - definitely because I'm rapidly approaching thirty.

I never thought I would be one of those women who freaks out over my age. Due to the fact that I have 'been there done that' when it comes to reaching certain relationship goals that society sets for women my age, and the fact that I have completely entertained the idea of not have children and am completely OK with it, I'm not quite sure where all of this big 3-0 anxiety is coming from. Maybe I have a slight clue but that is an entirely different blog post, perhaps an entirely different blog. So, I'm going ditch the 'woe is me, I'm turning thirty' bit and teach you to make this chicken...

And so begins, a slow, romantic waltz through aromatherapy heaven.

Bengali five-spice roasted chicken and vegetables

(recipe from Sunset magazine)

Bake in a very hot oven, the sauce reduces until the panch phoron seeds cling to chicken and vegetables in chewy nubbins

Ingredients

2 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil - I used olive oil

2 tbsp. panch phoron*

2 dried bay leaves

2 1/2 tbsp. grated fresh ginger

2 1/2 tbsp. minced garlic

2 1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

1 1/4 cups plain whole-milk yogurt mixed with 1 1/2 tsp. flour- I used low fat yogurt and it was just fine.

4 each bone-in chicken legs and thighs (separated; 2 lbs. total)-Free range and organic of course!

1 each red and yellow bell peppers cut into chunks

2 large carrots, quartered lengthwise and cut into 3 inch pieces.

1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks - I used sweet potatoes, very yummy!

*Panch phoron, "Five-spice" in Bengali, is a blend of five seeds: cumin, fennel, fenugreek, brown mustard, and nigella. I had never heard of panch phoron prior to this recipe but I was sure that my local health food store would carry it. Turns out I was wrong. The otherwise impressive bulk spice section at The Staff of Life in Santa Cruz is not a natural habitat for the exotic spice blend. A very nice empolyee, who just happened to be from India, was familiar with panch phoron and helped me concoct a similar cocktail of spices. They carried all but the nigella seed which he says I may be able to find in San Jose, otherwise, San Francisco. I decided to forgo an entire day trip in search of the fifth spice, so my version of panch phoron is actually "four-spice," don't tell my dinner guests. :)

Directions

1. HEAT oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add panch phoron and cook, stirring, until seeds begin to pop, about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium and, all at once, add bay leaves, ginger, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until ginger softens, about three minutes - at this point, your kitchen will smell so amazing you may begin to hallucinate and actually believe you are in Bangladesh. Not to worry, this is normal. Remove from heat, stir in coriander and salt, and let stand for about 30 seconds. Add yogurt, stir to loosen brown bits, and let marinade cool.

2. MARINATE by putting chicken, bell peppers, and carrots in a 1-gal. resealable plastic bag. Scrape in yogurt mixture, seal, and squish to coat. Chill at least two hours or over night - I marinated it over night.

3. BAKE chicken: preheat oven to 475 degrees with a rack set in upper third of oven. Put potatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet and squeeze contents of bag over them. Mix to coat, then pat ingredients into a single layer. Bake, turning food with a wide spatula every 15 to 20 minute and ending with chicken skin side up, until browned, 40 to 45 minutes.