Blame it on Lister.

My new favorite restaurant is Taste of India, which has a wonderful chicken vindaloo; this recipe is close.

• 2 teaspoon cumin seeds, whole
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns, black
• 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
• 1 cinnamon (3 in stick)
• 1 ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds, whole
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, whole
• 5 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar, light
• 10 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 large yellow onions, peeled and cut into; half-rings
• 6 tablespoon water
• 1 ginger, fresh (1-inch cube), peeled and coarsely chopped
• 10 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, ground
• ½ teaspoon turmeric, ground
• 2 lb chicken breast, bone-in
• 16 oz tomato sauce
• ½ lb new potatoes, peeled and quartered
• chicken stock

Grind cumin seeds, black pepper, cardamom seeds, cinnamon, black mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds together in a spice grinder. In a small bowl, combine ground spices, vinegar, salt, cayenne pepper and brown sugar. Set aside.

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, but not completely cooked. I've tried cooking them in the vindaloo sauce and it seems to make then tough, no matter how long I cook them.

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Fry onions, stirring frequently, until they are a rich, dark brown. Don't quit until the onions are dark, but don't burn them! Remove onions with a slotted spoon and put them in a blender. Turn off the heat, but do not discard the oil. Add about 3 T water (or more if necessary) to the onions and blend until you have a smooth paste. Add this onion paste to the spices in the bowl. This mixture is the vindaloo paste.

Put the ginger and garlic in a blender. Add about 3 T water and blend until you have a smooth paste.

Heat the remaining oil in the saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the ginger, garlic paste. Stir until the paste browns slightly. Add the coriander and turmeric. Stir a few seconds. Remove ginger and garlic paste from oil so that it doesn't burn.

Add the chicken to the oil and brown lightly. Add the ginger and garlic paste back in.

Add the vindaloo paste, tomato sauce, and potatoes to the chicken in the saucepan. Stir and bring to a slight boil. I find that the sauce is too thick, so I thin as needed with chicken stock. Cover the saucepan, reduce heat to low and simmer until the chicken is done. Serve over rice.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours

Adapted from India Snacks.