Chicken Tikka Masala... out of a jar!

I really enjoyed the Chicken Tikka Masala I made semi-homemade style. Thanks to Pathak's Tikka Sauce, this was a breeze. I found it at the Uptown Walmart out of all places... but at $4 (incl. tax) I think it's still steep. Maybe the Indian store will have it cheaper.



I jar of Tikka sauce
1 lb. chicken breast cut in small cubes
1 small onion diced
1 full chilli
Fry onions for 5 minutes till brown, then remove and keep aside. Brown chicken till you feel it's cooked well. Add onions, chilli and full jar of sauce. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serve hot with rice or bread!

Great Find: Ramsey's Tikka Masala video

Short and sweet video to a super easy tikka masala sauce. This can be added to chicken, potatoes/cauliflower, whatever else you fancy.
http://www.channel4.com/food/on-tv/cookalong-live/cookalong-live-the-series/week-6/how-to-make-tikka-masala_p_1.html

Sukha Chicken Curry

Sukha (meaning dry) chicken curry is a quick, easy way to make that wonderful Indian chicken curry, except, it's without the typical gravy.

1 lb. boneless chicken cut in small pieces
1 big chopped onion
1 big tomato diced
chillies
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. haldi (tumeric)
1/2 tsp. pathak's chicken tikka marinade (or any chicken masala)
1/2 tsp. ginger paste
1/2 tsp. garlic paste
couple of bay leaves
pepper to sprinkle
1 tsp. salt
3 cups water
Fry onions in a large saucepan till almost transparent. Add coriander seeds, mustard seeds, all dry spices, chillies and tomatoes. Fry for few more minutes.
Add chicken and 3 cups of water. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes on medium-low.

Kheema Matar

2 lbs. extra lean ground beef
2 onions chopped
3 serrano peppers chopped
1/2 can of peas
1 can of diced tomatoes
fresh cilantro cut up
sprig of rosemary cut up
1.5 tbsp. minced ginger
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. coriander powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1.5 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. tumeric
1 tsp. salt
olive oil
In a large saucepan saute onions on medium-high heat till brown 10-15 mins. Mix often to avoid sticking to pan. Reduce heat to low-medium and saute until dark brown 15-20 mins. Use 2 tbsp water to deglaze if onions are sticking to pan.
Add ground beef, ginger, garlic and chilies. Cook for 10 mins. Then add tomatoes. Cook maybe another 10-15 mins. till meat is browned well.
Reduce heat to low-medium and add cut cilantro, rosemary, coriander powder, cumin, chili powder, turmeric and salt. Mix well. Cover and cook for 15 mins or so. Check and mix every now and then.
Add peas. Cook covered for another 15 mins. or so till meat is fully cooked.
Serve with fresh cilantro and lime spritzed on top.

Curried Scrambled Eggs

(good for two)
4 large eggs
1 medium chopped onion
1 large diced tomato
1 chilli- slit (we used Indian chillies, but you could use any kind)
fresh rosemary
fresh cilantro
pinch of haldi (tumeric powder)
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
salt to taste
olive oil
Add olive oil to pan and cook onions on medium till they just start to brown. Add the tomatoes, chilli, tumeric and cumin. Cook for a minute and add rosemary and cilantro. Cook for another minute.
Whisk eggs separately and add to pan. Cook the scramble mixture till eggs are still slightly loose. Cooking it too much will dry out the dish.

Sukha Chicken Curry

Sukha (meaning dry) chicken curry is a quick, easy way to make that wonderful Indian chicken curry, except, it's without the typical gravy. So, Miggity's school has started again, which means we are kinda getting back to our weekend only schedule. I admit, I miss him. However, that does mean I have more chicken curry to eat :-P

Sukha Chicken Curry
1 lb. boneless chicken cut in small pieces
1 big chopped onion
1 big tomato diced
chillies
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. haldi (tumeric)
1/2 tsp. pathak's chicken tikka marinade (or any chicken masala)
1/2 tsp. ginger paste
1/2 tsp. garlic paste
couple of bay leaves
pepper to sprinkle
1 tsp. salt
3 cups water
Fry onions in a large saucepan till almost transparent. Add coriander seeds, mustard seeds, all dry spices, chillies and tomatoes. Fry for few more minutes.
Add chicken and 3 cups of water. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes on medium-low.

Home Ties

Miggity called me today to share something that had happened, relating to his family, that had left him feeling pissed off. He chose to call me. ME. That felt good- knowing that he feels he can call me for things like that. And that he actually did. These things are important to the growth of a relationship; it shows there is a trust that exists (well, i'm blogging about it, but at least I'm not being detailed lol). And the more I get to know him, the more I come to respect him. I look up to him. Wow. Yeah. I actually look up to him. I don't think I've ever said that of anyone I've been involved with. He's a self-made kinda man. He has strong beliefs about being self sufficient, working hard, creating one's own destiny. He's fiercely independent.
He said that while growing up, he chose not to take the obvious road most kids in his place would have taken. It appears like he didn't have much of an identity crisis despite the circumstances in his childhood.
I reflected on my identity crisis. Ouch. Lol. It was very challenging for me to carve my own identity, where I maintained my Indian roots, but also incorporated strong American values (equality, self-reliance, a healthy selfishness). Thank God that crisis is over! Phew!
Now I KNOW that I don't need to think that hard about what the correct formula is, to get the result of equal parts Indian and American. That's because there is no correct formula. I made my own. It's called "TWIL." Take What I Like about being Indian and Take What I Like about being American. And after eating the Kheema Matar I cooked this evening, I concur that I am taking the Indian cuisine. The family recipes will live on.

Kheema Matar
2 lbs. extra lean ground beef
2 onions chopped
3 serrano peppers chopped
1/2 can of peas
1 can of diced tomatoes
fresh cilantro cut up
sprig of rosemary cut up
1.5 tbsp. minced ginger
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. coriander powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1.5 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. tumeric
1 tsp. salt
olive oil
In a large saucepan saute onions on medium-high heat till brown 10-15 mins. Mix often to avoid sticking to pan. Reduce heat to low-medium and saute until dark brown 15-20 mins. Use 2 tbsp water to deglaze if onions are sticking to pan.
Add ground beef, ginger, garlic and chilies. Cook for 10 mins. Then add tomatoes. Cook maybe another 10-15 mins. till meat is browned well.
Reduce heat to low-medium and add cut cilantro, rosemary, coriander powder, cumin, chili powder, turmeric and salt. Mix well. Cover and cook for 15 mins or so. Check and mix every now and then.
Add peas. Cook covered for another 15 mins. or so till meat is fully cooked.
Serve with fresh cilantro and lime spritzed on top.