My first attempt at cooking Indian food has been EXTREMELY successful! I've always been put off by the long list of (often unfamiliar) ingredients.

However I saw a photo of a recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala that looked so good I just HAD to try it.

Before I did, tho, I ran it by a friend of mine at work who is from New Delhi. She told me the recipe was almost exactly as she makes it, and even brought me some Kasoori Methi (Fenugreek) since I wasn't sure where to buy that in my area.

Here is the recipe. It's from a blog called "Can't Live Without". It's delicious, easy and will definitely make a regular appearance on my table! It was surprisingly simple and quick to prepare.

Chicken Tikka Masala

For the marinade:

1 lb Chicken, cut into cubes
1 cup Yogurt
1 tbsp Cumin powder
1/2 tbsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
3 cloves Garlic, 1/2 inch Ginger�made into a paste or grated
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Chili powder

For the sauce:

1 medium sized Onion, cubed
1/2 roasted Red Bell Pepper (about 1/2 cup when pureed)
6 Cashews
1 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
3 Cloves, 1/2 inch Cinnamon, 2 Cardamom pods�ground into fine powder
1 tbsp Kasoori Methi (dried Fenugreek leaves, found in Indian grocery stores)
1/4 cup Cream
2 tbsp Tomato ketchup (I subbed tomato paste on my friend's advice)
1 tbsp Butter
1 tbsp Oil
1/4 tsp of Chilli powder, or to taste
Salt to taste
Cilantro for garnish

Marinade the chicken with all the ingredients for marination for about 20-30 minutes.

Grill or pan roast the marinated chicken and set aside
In the mean time, roast the onions in the pan with a few drops of oil unil lighlty browned.

Add the red bell peppers and cashew and toss them around for a couple of minutes. Take if off the stove and cool until ready to handle. Blend the mixture into a fine puree. Add a few tablespoons of water if necessary.
Heat a pan (you can use the same pan used for roasting) with a tablespoon of oil and a table spoon of butter.

When the butter just melts, add all the powders (clove, cinnamon, cardamom powder, cumin and coriander) and saute until their aroma wafts around. Add the red bell pepper, onion and cashew puree and gently saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the chili powder and salt and the tomato ketchup. Mix well and add the cream. Crush kasoori methi in your hands before adding to the mix and cook for 2 minutes. Now add the grilled chicken pieces and toss to coat well in the sauce.

Check taste and adjust salt or chili powder as desired.
If you want a thinner consistency add a few more tablespoons of water and a sparing splash of cream. Gently simmer for 5 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro and serve with Naan (Indian bread) or Basmati rice.

Linda