Food&Court: Chicken Tikka Masala, Indian Food Part 2

December 31st was a day of mixed feelings for me... or perhaps I should say it was a day of swirly feelings for me, because I spent most of it on the couch recovering from a late night dinner party we threw for my law firm the night before. We served fire roasted green chili chicken for dinner, starting with wine for an appetizer, wine for a side dish, and wine for dessert (at least that's how I remember it now). See Advil.

However, the upside of spending my day on the couch was that I caught my first episode of The Next Food Network Star--which is basically American Idol for cooks. Long story short, Food Network was playing a marathon of the show, so I spent my entire day watching back-to-back episodes of the whole season.

The upside of spending my entire day on the couch watching Food Network (uncharacteristic of this type-A busy guy) was falling in love with the most unique and most interesting of the contestants, Aarti Sequeira, who conquered each culinary challenge by preparing meals either pulled directly from Indian culture or infused with Indian flavors. She covered everything from kebabs to exotic Indian curries and even pizza made on naan. See Naan Guilty.

The recipe I used to make this Chicken Tikka Masala is slightly adapted from the recipe that Food Network published from Aarti's new show.This was a fun meal to make, it wasn't too difficult, and it was a hit on the table with people who hadn't tried Indian food before. This recipe is easily halved or doubled, but as it stands, it will serve 6. Making some naan to go with it will be greatly appreciated by all 6.

Marinade:

2 cups plain yogurt - Greek would be a good idea here.
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large bite-size chunks
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large bite-size chunks

Sauce:

6 tablespoons butter
4 teaspoons olive oil
12 cloves garlic, minced
2, 2-inch thumbs of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
4 serrano pepper, minced (seeds removed if you don't want it spicy)
4 tablespoons tomato paste
4 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
8 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 cans diced tomatoes (each can is about 14 ounces)
3 teaspoons kosher salt
4 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 cup heavy cream
Fresh cilantro leaves, minced
Basmati Rice

For the marinade:
In large bowl, mix the yogurt, ginger, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Poke chicken with a fork, then add to marinade. Fold to cover and marinate at least 1 hour, at most refrigerated overnight.

For the sauce:
When you're ready to make the curry, place a large skillet (I use a 5.5qt enameled iron French oven) over medium heat, and add the butter and olive oil. When butter has melted, add the garlic, ginger, and diced serrano pepper. Saute until lightly browned around the edges.
Add the tomato paste and cook until the tomato has darkened in color, about 3 minutes. Add the paprika and garam masala, and saute for about 1 minute to draw out their flavours.
Add the tomatoes, salt, and water. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 20 minutes. Take the pan off the fire, and allow the sauce to cool for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, fire up your broiler, and cover your broiler pan in foil. Pull the chicken thigh chunks out of the marinade and place on the sheet. Place under the broiler, and cook on each side until charred and cooked through. Pour sauce into a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Pour back into the pan, and bring back up to a boil. Add the chicken. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes. Add cream and stir through.