Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients:

For the chicken marinade:
2 lb boneless and skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup plain yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon ginger
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili (or 1/2 teaspoon ground red chili powder)
1 teaspoon of salt

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons of vegetable/canola oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 small onions (or 1 large onion) finely diced
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic finely grated
1 tablespoon ginger finely grated
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
14 oz tomato sauce (I used 2- 8 oz cans)
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili (optional for colour and flavour) - I left this out since I don't have it
1 teaspoon ground red chili powder (adjust to your taste preference)
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups of heavy or thickened cream (use evaporated milk for lower calories)
1 teaspoon brown sugar (substituted this with Stevia)
1/4 cup water if needed
4 tablespoons Fresh cilantro or coriander to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

In a bowl, combine chicken with all of the ingredients for the chicken marinade; let marinate for 10 minutes to an hour (or overnight if time allows).
Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. When sizzling, add chicken pieces in batches of two or three, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until browned for only 3 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm. (You will finish cooking the chicken in the sauce.)
Melt the butter in the same pan. Fry the onions until soft (about 3 minutes) while scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan.
Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add garam masala, cumin, turmeric and coriander. Fry for about 20 seconds until fragrant, while stirring occasionally.
Pour in the tomato puree, chili powders and salt. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes a deep brown red colour.
Stir the cream and sugar through the sauce. Add the chicken and its juices back into the pan and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling. Pour in the water to thin out the sauce, if needed.
Garnish with cilantro (coriander) and serve with hot garlic butter rice and fresh homemade Naan bread!

Mung Bean and Coconut Curry

Mung Bean and Coconut Curry! This easy vegan curry is packed with Indian flavors, coconut milk, cilantro, and lime. It's incredibly easy and can be made in the Instant Pot or on the stove top.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp canola oil or other neutral-flavored oil
1 Tbsp whole cumin seeds
9 cloves garlic crushed (about 3 Tbsp crushed garlic)
14 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
2 Tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp chili powder
4 cups water
1 cup mung beans picked over for stones and well rinsed
14 oz can coconut milk
1-2 medium limes juiced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped


(this is what mung beans look like)


Instructions:

(stove top)

In a large pot heat the cooking oil over medium-high heat.

Add the cumin seeds and cook for about 1 minute, until they just begin to darken.

Add the garlic, and sauté for 3-4 minutes until it has browned, but watch it very carefully so that it doesn't burn.

Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine, then add ginger, coriander, turmeric, salt, and chili powder.

Sauté this mixture for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the water and mung beans. (I pre-boiled the mung beans for about 30 minutes before adding them to the spice mixture) Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring the mixture once or twice.

Taste a few mung beans to make sure they are cooked. If they are, stir in the coconut milk, and increase the heat to medium-high.

Once the curry comes to the boil turn off the heat. Stir in the cilantro and the juice of one lime. Taste and decide whether you'd like to add the second lime as well.

Serve hot.

We served it with Indian Rice and Naan bread (see other recipes).

Naan Bread

Ingredients:

2 tsp dry active yeast

1 tsp sugar
½ cup water
¼ cup vegetable oil (coconut oil is better but either will work)
⅓ cup plain greek yogurt

1 large egg
2 - 2 1/2  cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt

In a small bowl, combine yeast, sugar and water. Stir and then let sit for a few minutes until it is frothy on top.
Now combine all the ingredients in your mixer and knead it for about 8 minutes. Check the consistency of the dough after about a minute to see if you have to add more water of flour. The dough should be very soft but not stick to the bowl. 

Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes and then divide it up into 6 pieces. Roll the dough into a very thin circle. 

Cook it in a cast iron pan and add some oil in between each piece of naan that you cook. Cook until it starts to bubble, turn it around and cook the other side. 

Immediately after taking it out of the pan butter it and put garlic salt on and either cut up cilantro of dried parsley. 

Indian Butter Chicken

It is easy to double or quadruple this recipe and then freeze it. 

Ingredients and directions: 

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.

Add:
1 tablespoon oil
1 white onion, chopped
and saute until soft and translucent.

Stir in:
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tsp minced garlic
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
4″ of graded ginger root

Cook, stirring, for one minute.
Then add:
1 cup tomato sauce (use some fresh tomatoes if you have them)

Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Then add:

1/4 cup greek yogurt (or whole yoghurt)
1 cup half-and-half (or whatever milk or cream you have)

Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. 

Season with a few pinches of salt and pepper.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, chop up one pound of chicken into bite-size pieces.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.
Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat, and season with
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Stir cooked chicken into sauce.

Mix together
1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup water
then stir into the sauce.

Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.
Serve with basmati rice and naan.

Indian Style Basmati Rice

 Ingredients:

1 ½ cups basmati rice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (2 inch) piece cinnamon stick (I used a pinch of ground cinnamon)
2 pods green cardamom (I left these out since I didn't have them)
2 whole cloves
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 ½ cups water
1 small onion, thinly sliced

Directions:

Step 1
Place rice into a bowl with enough water to cover. Set aside to soak for 20 minutes.

Step 2
Heat the oil in a large pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, and cumin seed. Cook and stir for about a minute, then add the onion to the pot. Saute the onion until a rich golden brown, about 10 minutes. Drain the water from the rice, and stir into the pot. Cook and stir the rice for a few minutes, until lightly toasted. Add salt and water to the pot, and bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed. Let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork before serving.