We are getting an overload on curry and turmeric this week. I joked with the kids that our insides are probably as stained yellow as our dishes have become. We made Chicken Tikka Marsala, roasted red potatoes and naan bread for dinner this night. I've had tikka marsala before, and really liked it, but this was too spicy for me. If you make it, tone down the spices and eat it over rice. We neglected to do that.
Chicken Tikka Marsala
1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
4 long skewers
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1.In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2.Preheat a grill for high heat.
3.Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.
4.Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Roasted Red potatoes
3 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
3 pounds small red potatoes, halved (about 8 cups)
1 3/4 teaspoons black mustard seeds
6 dried red chiles (I omitted these after our Chinese fire-breathing experience)
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
Cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
8 lime wedges
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine 1 tablespoon oil and potatoes, tossing to coat. Set aside.
3. Heat remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons oil, mustard seeds, and chiles in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook 1 1/2 minutes or until seeds begin to pop. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add ginger, garlic, and jalapeño to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in salt, turmeric, and Garam Masala; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add spice mixture to potatoes, tossing to coat. Arrange potato mixture in a single layer in a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
4. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and browned, stirring every 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro, mint, and juice. Serve with lime wedges.
Indian Naan bread
(just google a recipe for this--there are so many, and mine turned out too crunchy, so try a different one)
Day 4? of Indian food we had something more mild, thank heavens! We ate on the floor for a more authentic Indian dining experience. I made Bombay Chicken and rice, Indian sweet bread, and creamy rice pudding for dessert. The kids were really wary of the rice "pudding" but I stressed that they had to try everything and couldn't proclaim anything "yucky" until they tried 3 bites. Surprisingly, at the least the older girls have been adventurous in trying all the new foods. I've been proud of them as they've sampled all the different and strong foods I've put on their plates. Hopefully it will stick with them into adulthood.
Bombay chicken and rice
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
6 ounces diced dried mixed fruit (I only had craisins so that's what I used. I'm thinking apricots would be good)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
1 (3 pound) chicken, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 teaspoons curry powder, divided (I believe I cut this down to 2 tsp, since I was on curry overload)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2.In a 9x13 inch baking pan, mix rice, fruit, onion, sugar and salt. Pour in water. Arrange chicken parts over the rice mixture. In a small bowl, mix butter, curry powder and paprika. Brush butter mixture over chicken pieces. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil.
3.Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until chicken juices run clear and rice is tender.
I didn't get a photo of the sweet bread, but we all really liked it. There were no leftovers. Here is the recipe:
Indian Sweet Bread
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1.In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt and water until a soft dough is formed. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Divide dough into golf ball size pieces and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap.
2.Select a ball of dough and roll out until very thin but not torn. Sprinkle lightly and evenly with sugar. Fold up dough into a small square and roll out again until thin.
3.Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium heat. Place the rolled dough onto the pan and cook for 1/2 to 1 minute on each side until golden. Serve immediately. Repeat until all dough balls have been rolled and cooked.
