Tikka Masala
I love curry and Indian food. Michael does not. This means that I never, ever cook any kind of curry dish. Recently though, I had a serious craving for vindaloo. I went to the store and searched the ethnic aisle. I had no luck finding Vindaloo paste, but I did find some Tikka Masala paste. Now, Tikka Masala is my very favorite type of Indian food and so I just had to buy some. I figured if Michael didn't like it I would make him a sandwich and eat the whole thing myself.
I took the paste home and searched the internet for good recipes. I didn't just want a meat Tikka Masala because I'm on the South Beach diet and I know that I can't have the rice. I wanted lots of vegetables and meat. At the grocery store I had picked up cauliflower, carrots, squash and green beans. I thought they would all be good in the dish. I had also bought bone-in lamb shoulders because they were extremely inexpensive and I love lamb. I found a recipe that sort of worked and put it all together. It was so delicious!
Michael came home and said he thought he smelled something delicious. I told him it was Tikka Masala which is a curry, but a very mild one. He was willing to try it. He ate two bowls! He loved it! I'm so excited that he liked this because it is so yummy, easy to make and is good for you too. Here's the recipe. I'm making it again today with chicken and adding bamboo shoots. Yum.
Recipe: Tikka Masala
To make a curry for 2 people
What additional ingredients are required?
1. Your choice of meat
2. Two medium onions
3. 1/2 can of tomatoes or 3 fresh tomatoes
4. Plain Yogurt
5. Coriander or Cilantro
6. Patak's Tikka Masala Paste (or some other brand of paste)
Step 1
Blend or finely chop 2 onions, then fry in a little oil for approximately 7 minutes until the onions go soft. If they start to stick add a little water.
Step 2
Add 5 tablespoons of the Curry Paste to the onions.
Step 3
Now add 1/4 cup of plain yogurt and continue to fry for a further 2 minutes. **optional -you can add 2 cloves of chopped garlic and a little ginger at this point.
Step 4
Now add 1 chicken breast cubed to the pan, and seal on full heat until the chicken changes colour (approx 5 mins), if it starts to stick add a little water. Basically you want to fry the chicken, and listen to the sizzle! (After the chicken browned on the outside, this is where I also added my vegetables.)
Step 5
Now add either ½ tin of chopped tomatoes or two freshly sliced tomatoes and fry for a further 2 minutes. Then add ½ cup of water and bring to boil.
Step 6
Turn down heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 7
Finally add salt to taste sprinkle with fresh coriander or cilantro and serve hot!
Note: To make a Lamb Tikka Masala, either pre-boil and add the lamb at Step 4 or use fresh lamb and double the volume of water at Step 6. Simmer for 40 minutes or until the lamb is cooked.
To make a Vegetable Tikka Masala, add your choice of vegetables at Step 4. And the rest of the recipe remains unchanged.
I took the paste home and searched the internet for good recipes. I didn't just want a meat Tikka Masala because I'm on the South Beach diet and I know that I can't have the rice. I wanted lots of vegetables and meat. At the grocery store I had picked up cauliflower, carrots, squash and green beans. I thought they would all be good in the dish. I had also bought bone-in lamb shoulders because they were extremely inexpensive and I love lamb. I found a recipe that sort of worked and put it all together. It was so delicious!
Michael came home and said he thought he smelled something delicious. I told him it was Tikka Masala which is a curry, but a very mild one. He was willing to try it. He ate two bowls! He loved it! I'm so excited that he liked this because it is so yummy, easy to make and is good for you too. Here's the recipe. I'm making it again today with chicken and adding bamboo shoots. Yum.
Recipe: Tikka Masala
To make a curry for 2 people
What additional ingredients are required?
1. Your choice of meat
2. Two medium onions
3. 1/2 can of tomatoes or 3 fresh tomatoes
4. Plain Yogurt
5. Coriander or Cilantro
6. Patak's Tikka Masala Paste (or some other brand of paste)
Step 1
Blend or finely chop 2 onions, then fry in a little oil for approximately 7 minutes until the onions go soft. If they start to stick add a little water.
Step 2
Add 5 tablespoons of the Curry Paste to the onions.
Step 3
Now add 1/4 cup of plain yogurt and continue to fry for a further 2 minutes. **optional -you can add 2 cloves of chopped garlic and a little ginger at this point.
Step 4
Now add 1 chicken breast cubed to the pan, and seal on full heat until the chicken changes colour (approx 5 mins), if it starts to stick add a little water. Basically you want to fry the chicken, and listen to the sizzle! (After the chicken browned on the outside, this is where I also added my vegetables.)
Step 5
Now add either ½ tin of chopped tomatoes or two freshly sliced tomatoes and fry for a further 2 minutes. Then add ½ cup of water and bring to boil.
Step 6
Turn down heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 7
Finally add salt to taste sprinkle with fresh coriander or cilantro and serve hot!
Note: To make a Lamb Tikka Masala, either pre-boil and add the lamb at Step 4 or use fresh lamb and double the volume of water at Step 6. Simmer for 40 minutes or until the lamb is cooked.
To make a Vegetable Tikka Masala, add your choice of vegetables at Step 4. And the rest of the recipe remains unchanged.
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