Chicken Tikka Masala

If you've ever forayed into the making of Indian food, you've realized that, on the whole, Indians aren't exactly shy with the spices. It's not a "add 1/2 teaspoon of oregano and 1/2 teaspoon of thyme" sort of thing, it's a "this is why spices are sold in bulk" sort of thing. This recipe calls for well over 1/2 cup of spices when all is said and done. I would definitely recommend keeping all of the non-pepper spicing, regardless of whether or not you think you like "spicy" food. If you don't like it hot, I would cut the peppers in the marinade in 1/2 (if that still seems like a lot to you, keep in mind that the yogurt cuts the hotness significantly) and start with 1/4 t. of cayenne in the sauce and work your way up from there, tasting as you go. This is why we have spoons. And also why the cook is not hungry by the time dinner is served (or is that just me?).

A note on hotness: I was using extra hot cayenne powder and this came out around a 7 on Maria's Scale of Hotness. Apparently my 7 kills the average Midwesterner (or so I have been led to believe). I thought that this was a bit much as when you get past a 6 or so, the hot begins to overwhelm the spicy. Next time I make this, I will likely keep the amounts the same and use a regular cayenne powder, which puts it around a 5 on Maria's Scale of Hotness. That is precisely where Maria prefers her Tikka Masala to be: hot enough to make your lips tingle a little bit, but balanced enough that you can still taste everything else in the pot.

A note on sauce: If you plan to use your blender/immersion blender/food processor, you can be a little bit lazy when cutting up the veg. If you don't want to do that step, get everything down as close to a proper mince as possible. You'll thank yourself later.

Day 1 (or the morning of):

Cut 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken cut into 1" cubes

Marinade:

1 T cumin
1 T red pepper flakes
1 T black pepper
1 t salt
1/2 T cinnamon
1 T paprika (I generally use 1/2 sweet paprika and 1/2 hot paprika)
1 t turmeric
1" ginger, grated or minced
1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
1 c. plain yogurt

Grind up any spices that haven't been ground already, and mix everything together in a big tupperware or plastic bag (whatever you like to marinate in). Add the chicken and stir/squish about to coat the chicken thoroughly. Throw this in the fridge and try to remember it in the next few days.

Now let's get cooking:

For the sauce you will need:

(I like a saucy curry, so I make a lot. You can halve this if you prefer your curries dryer.)

3 T butter
1 c chopped onion
2" ginger, grated or minced
10 cloves garlic, minced (just trust me on this one)
2 T cumin
1 1/2 T. sweet paprika
1/2 t. cinnamon
2 t. cayenne powder (Note to self: halve this if using super hot cayenne)
1/2 t. turmeric
~1 T. salt (start with 1/2 this and then taste as you add more. It seems like a lot, but it actually works out well)
2 c. tomato sauce (I generally use canned)
1 c. cream

Start by pulling the chicken out of the fridge so it can warm up enough that you don't freeze your hands and end up with claws when making the kebabs later. Trust me on this one. And turn on the broiler while you're at it.

Heat the butter in a ~3 qt. heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and grind any spices that aren't already. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and stir. cook until onion is softened. Add the garlic and ginger and continue cooking for a few more minutes. Next add all of the spices, stir, and marvel at the colors. Cook, stirring frequently for a couple more minutes and add the tomato sauce, stir, cover and turn the heat down to low, stirring occasionally.

Spray a cookie sheet with high-heat nonstick spray and assemble chicken kebabs, placing them on the cookie sheet as they are completed. Broil for ~5 minutes, turn and broil for another ~5 minutes or until the kebabs are fully cooked. Remove kebabs from oven and set aside.

Back at the stove: add cream to sauce and puree.

Remove chicken from kebabs and add to sauce, stirring to coat.

Serve with cumin rice and naan.

Edited to add: Holy crap! This stuff is even better a couple of days in. The hot spices mellow a bit and step back from center stage and the curry spices make friends with one another and become even more delicious than they were fresh. Yum. Tragically, I think I'm going to run out of naan before I run out of curry, and I don't see cooking time before Friday...