Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Tikka Misala - Chicken Marinade



Spice Mixture
3 tablespoons toasted ground cumin
3 tablespoons toasted paprika
2 tablespoon toasted ground coriander seed
2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Mix all spices together.

6 Tablespoons of spice mixture
8 cloves garlic, grated on the medium holes of a box grater
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated on the medium holes of a box grater
2 cups yogurt
1/2 cup fresh juice from 4 to 6 lemons, divided
1/8 cup Kosher salt
Add ingredients in a plastic bag along with chicken pieces, and marinate 4-8 hours.  Wipe off marinade, and grill until chicken is cooked.



Masala Sauce

4 tablespoons butter or ghee
4 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons grated ginger
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons of spice mixture, recipe above
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, roughly mashed
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
¼ cup lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream

Heat butter or ghee in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until melted and foaming subsides. Add onions, remaining 4 tablespoons grated garlic, and remaining 2 tablespoons ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, until dark and beginning to char in spots, about 10 minutes. Add reserved spice mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and half of cilantro, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan with a spoon. Simmer for 15 minutes, then puree using a hand blender or by transferring to a tabletop blender in batches.
Stir in cream and remaining quarter cup lemon juice. Season to taste with salt, then set aside until chicken is cooked.
 





Lowfat Tikka Masala

2 tsp canola oil or you could use butter
1 small onion, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
4 oz fat free yogurt (I used Chobani)
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric (optional)
1/2 tbsp chili powder
salt to taste
4 tbsp fresh cilantro (or to taste)

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until golden. Add the crushed ginger, stir for a few minutes then add the garlic and cook another minute. Add cumin, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, and salt; mix well until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, yogurt and milk. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Add chicken and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes or until cooked through. Add a generous amount of chopped cilantro and serve with Bamati Rice or Naan.