It's Indian Tonight!

It's Indian tonight! Have you tried whole foods chicken tikka masala? It's to die
for.. I love Indian food and after having tried some chicken tikka masala this week,
i knew i needed to eat more of it. So I thought I could make it that day when I
bought the chicken.. It so happens that the chicken needs to marinade for 24hours...
So the long awaited chicken was finally cooked as it mellowed out in a creamy
fragrant mixture of yogurt, lime, Ginger and coriander.


Here is the recipe

You will need

3 chicken breasts 4 tbsp olive or groundnut oil 5 cardamom pods a 5cm cinnamon stick 1 ½ onions 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced 2 tsp garlic, minced 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp coriander powder ¼ tsp turmeric powder ½ to 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tbsp paprika 1 tsp garam masala powder 1 large tomato 1 tsp tomato purée 5 fl oz water Salt to taste Yoghurt or 1 tin coconut milk, if desired Fresh coriander to garnish 1 sharp knife 1 chopping board 1 plate or tray 1 mixing bowl 1 large wide pan 2 wooden or regular spoons 1 bowl for mixing the spices

Ingredients

• 1 cup 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
• 4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato , diced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours or as long as possible.

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and bake the chicken till cooked through.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt. Stir in canned tomatoes and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add baked chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

To accompany it I made some simple pea rice.

Chop up an onion and cook it with a little olive oil until softened.
Throw in the rice and coat with the oil and onions.
Add 3 times the amount of rice in water.
When water has almost disappeared check consistency of rice. Add more if needed.
When almost cooked through, add frozen peas.
Take the rice from the heat and toss with a little salt and butter.
Place in baking tray and place in oven to toast the top.