Indian Cooking

One thing that Michael and I have truly missed here in Peru is access to Indian food. In the DC area there were several locations to fulfill this occasional craving and here in Lima there are none - nor is there the ability to make it because the spices do not exist.

Well, after seeing a podcast from Cooks Illustrated, we were inspired to ask for someone to bring us the spices so we could try it ourselves. A recent team that came, graciously found us the coriander, cardamom, and garam masala that we needed to get started, and last week Michael took on the task of recreating a long-missed dish Chicken Tikka Masala. While we did have to make some substitutions for things we can't find or are very expensive here, the dish was spectacular. We even found some basmati rice to go with it. Although Noah said it was "spicy" with a big smile on his face, he still said he liked it and asked for seconds. I'm grateful to have a husband that is willing to put in the effort needed to cook dishes like this - right now I'm a pretty practical and lazy cook. I can't wait till he finds time in his busy schedule to make it again.

Just so you're not in the dark, here's the recipe:

Chicken Tikka MasalaCooks Illustrated - 9/2007

This dish is best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. For a spicier dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. If you prefer, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper for the garam masala. The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and gently reheated before adding the hot chicken. Serve with basmati rice.

Serves 4 to 6

Chicken Tikka

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp table salt

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat

1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (see note above)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce

3 tbsp vegetable oil1 medium onion , diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)

2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 fresh serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced (see note above)

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp garam masala (see note above)

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp table salt

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.

2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.