Monday morning, and while my old man was snoring, the rain was seriously pouring. An after-midnight arrival of our cross-country flight didn't get us home and under the covers until about 2 a.m., so when the sound of water pounding on the roof woke me around 8, I was crying the rainy Monday blues. Even after morning coffee, the skies failed to lighten and make way for the sun, and the air was raw like one of those moody days in November.

In merry England.

Lunch came and went, and I tried to cheer myself up with a toaster-oven cheese sandwich , but the weather, she kept up the nasty antics and in so doing had taken prisoner of my good nature. I had become a miserable wretch and desperately needed a culinary potion to snap me out of my meterological funk. The only kitchen remedy that would do the trick was a pot of curry. And not just any curry -- cilantro chicken curry, with lots of fresh ginger and garlic, an herby aromatic elixir that fills the house with a savory perfume and always turns my frown upside down.

It is a dish that is like my knight in shining armor, protecting me from the chill of a snowy day and the pain of boyfriend-induced heartbreak and comforting me when it's time to say goodbye to a dear friend about to move to New Zealand. It is the dish I'll make when someone dies and the dish I'll make when we become parents. It is just one of those things that goes with me wherever I go, a sign from the stove that everything is gonna be alright.

Lemony Chicken Curry With Coriander
From "Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking" by Madhur Jaffrey

Ingredients
5-6 tablespoons vegetable oil
Approximately 2-1/2 pounds chicken thighs and/or legs, skinned and seasoned with salt and pepper
2-inch hunk of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1/2 habanero chile (or appropriate heat to taste), seeded and diced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
2 bunches cilantro, cleaned, stemmed and finely chopped
2/3 cup water
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Method

1. Place ginger in bowl of food processor and blend with 1/4 cup water, until pureed. (alternatively, pulverize ginger with a mortar and pestle.)

2. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil. When hot, but not smoking, add chicken and brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.

3. Add ginger puree and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping the stuck bits from the bottom of the pan. Add garlic, spices and salt and stir. The mixture will become pasty, which is a good thing.

4. Add cilantro, lemon juice and water, and return chicken to pot.

5. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer, until meat is tender and starting to fall off the bone. This should take about 45 minutes.

6. While the curry cooks, make some rice to serve with the meal. Makes approximately four servings.

Photo credit: Kim O'Donnel