A taste of India

In our family Italian food seems to be the staple. About a year and a half ago I decided to try to really expand our menu and try all different cuisines. Jacob and I loved going to the Bombay House while we lived in Provo, so I started here with Chicken Tikka Masala. It's not the quickest recipe, but we love it and the interesting variety it brings to our meals. I usually serve with brown rice, garlic naan, and roasted cauliflower. Yumm!

Chicken
5/8 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger root
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbs. ground corinader seeds
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. oil
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

Masala
4 Tbs. ghee or vegetable oil
2 onions, diced
1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cardamoms, bruised
2 tsp. garam masala
2 tsp. ground corinader
1 tsp. chili powder, or to taste
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 Tbs. tomato paste
4 Tbs. hot water
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro, more to garnish
juice of 1/2 lime

Mix together in a bowl the first set of ingredients, except the chicken. Drop the chicken cubes into the marinade. Cover and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
Make the masala sauce by heating the ghee or vegetable oil in a large flameproof casserole dish; add the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook over a gentle heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until softened but not colored. Add the spices and fry, stirring for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant, then add the cream, tomato paste, water, sugar and salt. Bring slowly to the boil over a moderate heat, stirring, then lower the heat, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand while cooking the chicken.
Place the marinated chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and put under a preheated broiler for 5-6 minutes, turning requently, until cooked through.
Tip the chicken into the masala sauce, return to a low heat and simmer, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped cilantro leaves and lime juice, and taste for seasoning. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro leaves and sliced lime. (Serves 4)