Cooking at Home

After eating out most of last week, or eating whatever was easy to cook (like hotdogs). I decided today to make some good food. So tonight is Indian food night. Of course I'm making Chicken Tikka Masala which is about as Indian as General Tso's is Chinese. That doesn't stop it from being good.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Serves : 4

Ingredients

6 Chicken thigh pieces (boneless) (Or use some boneless skinless chicken breasts)

Marinade

• 6 tbsp. Yogurt
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tbsp Garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tbsp Garlic paste
• 2 tbsp Ginger paste
• 1 tsp Cumin Powder
• 1 tsp Curry Powder (Garam Masala)
• 4-5 tsp lemon juice
• Salt to taste

For Gravy

• 2 Tomatoes(chopped)
• 1 Onion
• 1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
• ½ tsp. Cumin powder
• ½ tsp. Coriander powder
• ¼ cup Milk
• 1 tsp Sugar
• Salt to taste

Directions

Chicken tikka masala is a two step process, Tikka and Gravy. Grilling the chicken definitely flavors this dish but if you do not have a grill, you could use any oven too. Once you have your chicken grilling, you could start the gravy process in parallel. (I usually just cook the chicken in a pan)

1. Cut chicken into smaller pieces. Drain any water.
2. Mix all ingredients for the marinade and add chicken into it. Set aside for at least 1 hour
3. Grill chicken on hot grill (barbecue) to golden brown. Baste butter (or oil) frequently to ensure that chicken remains tender and moist. Do not overcook.
4. Heat oil and add ginger, garlic paste. Fry a little and add chopped onions.
5. Keep heat on high to slightly caramelize the onions. Caramelizing onions enhances its flavors for this dish.
6. When onions turn golden, add chopped tomatoes and keep frying on medium heat until the oil separates.
7. Add cumin and coriander powder. Mix
8. Add salt and sugar and drop the chicken tikka pieces in it.
9. Let it simmer for 5 minutes on low heat and let the flavors mingle a little.
10. Increase heat to high and incorporate milk slowly. Stirring continously.
11. Once the gravy is of right consistency, reduce heat to low. Prepare any garnish
12. Serve with basmati rice. In the event you don't have basmati rice, white rice will do.
    

(Another hint, if you decide to cook basmati rice you should rinse it as it's a very starchy rice. Rinse it with cold water until the water stops being cloudy.)

I'd have a photo of the food, but my one camera has a dead battery, and my good camera's busted.