Ingredients: |
Ingredients:
For the chicken Tikkas marinade:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons Ginger Paste
2 tablespoons Garlic Paste
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, ground
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground
2 teaspoons ground Kashmiri chiles; or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne mixed with 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon Punjabi garam masala (see previous photos)
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut lengthwise into 1-inch wide strips.
For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons Ghee or canola oil
1 small red onion, coarsely chopped 1 small red bell pepper, stemmed seeded and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup slivered blanched almonds
1/4 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned (no need to drain)
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream or half and half
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon Punjabi garam masala
Vegetable cooking spray
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender steams for garnishing.
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Directions: |
Directions:Combine the yogurt, Ginger Paste, Garlic Paste, cilantro, coriander, cumin, Kashmiri chiles, salt, garam masala, and turmeric in a small bowl. Whisk to blend.
Put the chicken strips in a large bowl and pour this full-flavored marinade over them. Toss to thoroughly coat the meat. Refrigerate, covered for at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.
When you are ready to cook the chicken, make the sauce (I make this sauce up ahead of time).
Heat the ghee in a small sauce pan over medium high heat. Add the onion bell pepper, almonds, and raisins, and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and then acquire honey-brown patches, 10 - 12 minutes.
Stir the tomatoes into the pan and scrape the bottom to deglaze it. Pour this chunky sauce into a blender jar, and add the cream, salt, cayenne and garam masala. Puree, scraping the inside of the jar as needed to make a thick nutty-gritty; reddish brown sauce.
Pour the sauce into a medium size saucepan and simmer over low heat while you grill the chicken.
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill or the broiler to high. Grill the chicken, turning until the pieces are light brown, the insides are no longer pink and the juices run clear, 6 to 8 minutes.
Slide the chicken into the sauce. Stir to make sure the sauce drenches the meat and serve, sprinkled with the cilantro. |
This recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala (Marinated Chicken With An Onion Pepper Almond Sauce is from