Indian Tikka Masala

Stepping outside of your comfort zone can be scary, but it can also be very rewarding. I love cooking, and I cook often. Lately, I’ve been trying to challenge myself with new and different recipes.  My Aunt Betty asked me if I had ever made Tikka Masala, and I had never even heard of it! I looked it up online and decided I wanted to make this. I looked up several recipes and blogs to get an idea of what I was getting myself into. I learned that Indian food uses a lot of spices you probably already have at home, just a lot of them. I mean tablespoons and tablespoons, probably a half cup of spices for a meal that serves 3-5 people. Indian food can also pack some heat, but if you prefer less spicy, modify to your desire. Oh, the joy of cooking!  

 Ingredients

Marinade:

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 large russet potato
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (the grocery store was out, and I was really bummed)

Directions

1.      In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, and minced ginger. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour.

2.      In a large skillet, remove the chicken, leaving as much marinade in the bowl as possible. Cook the chicken and then remove from sauce. I used a spoon with holes to sift chicken into a separate bowl.

3.      Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with two teaspoons of cumin and paprika. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Stir well, then let simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.

4.      Meanwhile, microwave your large russet potato for 5-10 minutes depending on size until soft. Peel the skin off of the potato, this should be fairly easy while hot, and chop into chunks.

5.       Add grilled chicken and potato, and simmer for 10 minutes.

6.      To cook rice, use a 1:1 ratio. One cup of rice to one cup of water. If you do not have a rice maker, boil one cup of water, then remove from heat and add one cup of rice. Cover with a lid until rice expands. Do not remove lid early, and do not stir rice, or it will turn to paste.

7.      Serve the spicy chicken tomato sauce over a bed of white rice and garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!