Today will be my first attempt at Indian Food.

[hippywife]

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Tikka-Masala/Detail.aspx

I'm getting ready to start my marinade now. Anyone have any other suggestions or subs to this recipe. Gonna have to broil them in the oven since it's promising to continue raining throughout the day.

:hi:

ETA: I will, of course, not being adding as much salt as shown in this recipe.

[hippywife]

1. This was really, really good

with the some of modifications that were suggested by other reviewers of the recipe.

I used thighs instead of breasts since that's what I had in the freezer. I only used 1 t. salt in the marinade and 1 tsp. in the sauce, but I think I could have cut even that in half. My mouth is feeling kinda dry after eating it. I only used 1 t. of cayenne in the marinade and that turned out to be plenty. I also only used 1/2 of a jalapeno and 2 cloves of garlic instead of just one in the sauce. Another reviewer suggested using coconut milk instead of cream in the sauce, and although I didn't have any today, I will use it the next time as I think it would be better tasting. I did end up just roasting the skewers in the oven since it's been pretty wet and cold out today.

Some reviewers suggested doubling the sauce recipe to have enough to soak the rice, but trust me it was more than enough as is. The rice was completely covered and there was enough of everything left for Bill's lunch tomorrow plus more sauce I couldn't use.

This was really easy to make and is a keeper for the future.

[buzzycrumbhunger]

2. Mmmm, curry

I've got some homemade garam masala in the cupboard that needs to be used up. Took me forever to figure out a close proximity to my favorite restaurant's blend, and then I found this site. You might rummage around and see if you don't see something else that strikes your fancy. She has some really good vegetarian recipes (the curried cauliflower is really good) and explains the various curry blends nicely (though it was supposed to be an ongoing series and I'm still waiting for the rest).

Lovelovelove spicy cuisines. Another good one to get into is Szechuan. Once I found Sichuan peppercorns, it was like I unlocked a whole world outside the bland Chinese buffet fare.

Sadly, we also love Mexican, but it seems to consist of refrieds, tortillas of some sort, and a crapload of jalapeños in various configurations. I should probably branch out there, as well. :)

[hippywife]

5. I enjoyed it while I was eating it.

And I did eat a much smaller portion than Bill did, not much really at all. We decided while were eating it that we would have it again some time. But today, I just felt like I didn't care whether or not I fixed it again. I don't know why. I think I prefer the flavor combinations of Thai and Chinese much more, that sweet and tangy flavor.

I'm thinking I might try to do a decent mole sauce next.

:hi:

[Beacool]

6. I was reading the recipe on your link, it looks tasty.

But, what is paneer?

:o

[tigereye]

8. it's a kind of farmer's cheese used in India and Asia

I just finished reading Madhur Jaffrey's childhood memoir, Climbing the Mango Trees, and she explains the origins of a lot of foods used in India, plus a lot of history post-British era, and some recipes. Her cookbooks are considered classics for Indian food.

My husband uses this book a lot for curries - The Curry Book by Nancy McDermott.

[Beacool]

9. Thank you for all the info.!!!

:hi:

[tigereye]

10. sure- I love reading wonderful food stories like Ruth Reichl, etc.

:hi:

[Vinca]

3. Thanks for the recipe. I was going to thaw some chicken breasts

and I was trying to think of something different to make. I've never cooked Indian food, but I recently picked up some spices with that intention.

[hippywife]

4. Make sure to read my notes

in the first response post and the reviewers at the site of the recipe if you haven't already. This will make a huge difference between a really good meal and a totally ruined supper. Enjoy! :hi:

[MagickMuffin]

7. I read your other thread about servinga salad, might I suggest this side dish

Since you make your own yogurt this is something that is relatively easy to make and is a traditional side dish that offers a cooling down for spicy dishes.

It is called Raita.

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=549717

A cool, creamy side is a must with spicy Indian food. Whole-milk yogurt soothes the palate and stands up to the spicier dishes. Make this within an hour of serving: It will become watery if it stands too long.

Yield 8 servings (serving size: 1/3 cup)

Ingredients

* 1 English cucumber, coarsely shredded (about 2 cups)
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 2 cups whole-milk yogurt
* 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
* 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* Dash of ground nutmeg
* Dash of ground cinnamon
* Dash of ground cardamom

Preparation

Place cucumber in a colander, and sprinkle with salt. Toss well; drain for 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water; drain. Place cucumber on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 5 minutes, pressing down occasionally. Combine the cucumber, yogurt, and remaining ingredients.



Hubby doesn't follow this recipe but uses most of the ingredients. So, feel free to experiment.