Recipe: Chicken Tikki Masala w/Lentils and Rice

I have wanted to try to make this and I was very pleased with the results! The sauce was delicious, but without the cilantro and fresh ginger, the chicken wasn't as awesome as it could have been.

Started with the chicken the day before. Chopped it up into cubes.

Then time to make the marinade.  It called for all yogurt, but I didn't want to waste my expensive yogurt on a marinade (ok I know it's not a waste, but it's pricey!) so I used half milk half yogurt

Then add in the salt, lemon juice, chili powder, ground ginger (was supposed to be fresh...oops), garlic, and ground coriander.

 Add the chicken and stick in the fridge for 24hrs.

Next day. Chopped up two onions into thin slices.












Add some more seasoning! (I don't know why we actually had Cardamon seeds, but I did!). The recipe called for 'bruised cardamon" so I just hit it with the side of my knife a few times...

For the sauce, which called for whole cream, I used part half-and-half and part 1% milk. It cuts down on fat and calories, and it was plenty thick for me!

The recipe also called for tomato paste + water... I didn't have paste, so I used tomato sauce (about half a can) and it worked well!

Add it all to the pot: 

I let it cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally on medium heat while I got the chicken out of the fridge. Turned off the stove so I could focus on the chicken!

I took the  cubes, and put them on skewers and placed them in the oven which had been pre-heated on High Broil.  I used a small cookie sheet with raised sides so that the skewers actually held the chicken OFF THE FOIL!! It made for the EASIEST clean-up, so easy in fact, i took pictures of it.

But here are the skewers in the oven. Every 10'or so I'd rotate them around using tongs.

 Finished chicken:

 Pushed the chicken off the skewers into the sauce. Turn the heat back on to low-medium, cover and let simmer for a few minutes for it all to come together..... mmmmmmm

Easy Clean-Up!
1. Notice, no burned mess or pieces of chicken wasted because they got stuck to the foil!
2. It's foil, so all I did was wrap it up and throw it away! (Ok I know it's not a very green way to cook, but I figured I saved a lot of water by not having to scrub and soak a few times... it's a reach, but I'm going with it)
 and ...






Voila! Clean pan... well almost... one rip in the foil, but i just wiped that juice off! :D

Also made lentils. I learned a great tip for cooking lentils from America's Test Kitchen: Pre-soak lentils in salt water for about an hour. Then drain them and they can be used then, or kept in the fridge for a few days. Why is this important? Well it's not important for taste, but it relaxes up the skin of the lentil so that when they cook they don't burst and turn into mush. It's so nice, to have lentils remain in lentil shape!

Ok back to the marsala sauce: This is when you'd add the cilantro if you had it. It would give it some nice color. Next time I might add some sweet peas as well.

On a plate ready to eat!! Yummy!!

Original Recipes from, "Complete Indian Cooking" by Hamlyn

Chicken Tikka
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 TBS grated freshe ginger root
2 garlic cloves, inced
1 teaspoond chili powder
1 TBS ground coriander seeds
1/2 tsp salt
4TBS lemon juice
2 TBS oil
1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, skinned, boned and cubed

To Garnish:
1 onion, sliced
2 tomatoes, quartered
4 lemon twists

Mix together in a bowl all the ingredients except the chicken. Drop the chicken cubes into the marinade. Cover and leave in the refrigerator overnight.

Thread the chicekn on to 4 skewers and cook under a preheated hot broiler for 5-6 minutes, turning frequently.

Remove the chicken from the skewers and arrange on individual serving plates. Garnish with onion, tomato, and lemon to serve.

Serves 4, Prep time: 15 minutes, plus overnight marinating time, Cooking time: 5-6 minutes on grill.

Chicken Tikki Masala

Chicken
Chicken Tikka, marinated and threaded on to skewers but not cooked
2 TBS fresh shopped cilantro leaves
juice of 1/2 lime

Marsala Sauce
4 TBS ghee or vegetable oil
2 onions, thinly slices
1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cardaoms, bruised
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chili powder, or to taste
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 TBS tomato paste
4 TBS hot water
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

To garnish
fresh cilantro leaves
slices of lie


Make the masala sauce by heating the ghee or vegetable oil on a large flameproof casserole dish; add the onions, ginger, and the garlic and cook over a gentle heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until softened but not colored.

Add the spices and fry, stirring, for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant, then add the cream, tomato paste, water, sugar and salt. Bring slowly to the boil over a moderate heat, stirring, then lower the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand while cooking the chicken.

Barbecue or broil the Chicken Tikka according to the recipe instructions on page 78, and then remove the cubes of chicken from the skewers.

Tip the chicken into the masala sauce, return to a low heat and simmer, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped cilantro leaves and lime juice, and taste for seasoning. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro leaves and slices of lime and accompanied by plain boiled rice, chapatis or naan bread.

Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes

Clipboard:The aroma of the cardamom is contained within the seeds - small black seeds within the papery pod. Cardamom is related to ginger and is widely grown in the tropical regions of India.
Cook time40-45 minutes