Chicken Tikka Masala

This seems to becoming a habit: premature posting. I wonder if there's a little blue pill for that?!

Anyone who knows me probably saw the title of this post and thought they were in for a review of Sitar or Pintu's. As much as I enjoy both those restaurants (though Sitar remains my all-time-favorite), I have had a ton of fun learning to make my favorite Indian dishes at home.

I have loved Indian food since my first visit to Sitar, which I remember like it was yesterday...

It was a cold, snowy night, and I was overwhelmed when I walked into that little restaurant on Main St. by the smells. Cinnamon. Cardamom. Warmth. Friendliness. Joy.

Sitar remains one of the most comfortable restaurants I've been to - the waitstaff and owner are lovely, the music is ethnic and quietly in the background, the decor is traditional yet not overwhelming. It's everything I love about this cuisine.

I tried Chicken Tikka Masala on my first visit thanks to my culinary-adventurous friend Natalia. Until recently - with the exception of delish apps like samosas and pakora - it's all I'd had. I've begun to branch out, and have yet to find anything I don't like...although vindaloo is even too spicy for me!

Brian described this meal as "being in the middle of a pool, on a float, in the sunshine" and as "hitting the snooze button and laying in bed only half asleep, all warm and cozy." I couldn't agree more!

Chicken Tikka Masala
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken, breasts or thighs, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 tsp. salt and pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 heaping Tbsp. curry powder
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
3 onions, thinly sliced
2 - 3 jalepenos, seeded to taste and diced (optional)*
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 oz.) can coconut milk**
1 (14.5 oz.) can stewed tomatoes
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/4 C finely chopped cilantro

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil, curry, and cumin in a large skillet over medium high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occassionally, until fragrant and toasted in color.
3. Add onions, peppers (if using), and garlic. Stir to coat in oil and spice mixture. Cook until vegetables are translucent and just starting to pick up color - about 10 minutes. Stir occassionally to keep from browning too much. Add more oil if necessary, but hold off until  the veggies start to give off some of their water - you may not need it.
4. Add chicken pieces and toss in onion mixture to coat. Cook, stirring occassionally, until almost cooked through, about 10 minutes.
5. Add coconut milk, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce to pan. Stir well to combine. Simmer, loosely covered, for 30 - 40 minutes.
6. Remove from  heat. Just before serving, stir in cilantro. Serve over cilantro lime rice.

*Jalepenos continue to confound me. I used two this time - one with all seeds and ribs, the other without - and they gave no heat whatsoever. Last time I made this, I used two with seeds and it was almost too hot to eat. If anyone has any tips for judging the heat of these peppers - size, color, scent, etc. - please let me know!

**Once I realized how much fat is in coconut milk, I tried making this dish with the low fat version. Not good. At all. It ruined the consistency of the dish, as it was far too watery, and there was very little coconut flavor. Considering the rest of the dish is lean protein and veggies, just go with the full fat. ;-)

Lime Cilantro Rice
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 1/3 C Basmati rice
Juice and zest of two limes
2 C water
1/4 C finely chopped cilantro

1. Combine oil, rice, and lime juice in a sauce pan. Heat over medium  heat until fragrant, stirring frequently to keep rice from sticking to the pan.
2. Add water and bring to a rolling boil.
3. Reduce heat to low and cover pan tightly.
4. Cook for about 25 minutes, until water is just absorbed. Remove from heat.
5. Fluff rice with fork, stirring in lime zest and cilantro.

I thought this was a lot of jalepenos...  Not so much.

Don't skimp on the cooking time for the onions. It's probably one of the most important steps and is well worth the added few minutes....



Ahhhhh...chicken tikka masala.  Warmth on a plate!



One word of caution: Curry has a very strong aroma. I love it, and all the images it conjures up for me. And it lingers...cracking a window while you cook will help.