Chicken Tikka Masala

The best thing about living in Boston (besides the Red Sox, pubs in every corner and not having to own a car <-pronounced: CAH-r), was the incredible and extremely diverse food available there. Fortunately, one of my roommates was of Indian heritage and so my education in all-things curry began. My all-time favorite Indian cosine is chicken korma, samosas, their infamous naan bread, and of course, chicken tikka masala. Tikka masala is slightly spicier than chicken korma, but very delicious. If you want to pair wine with any Indian dish, a tangy Pinot Grigio or even a spicy Riesling would go do the trick. And remember, don't forget the naan bread. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS (serves 6)

MARINADE

• 4 whole boneless chicken breasts, skin removed and cut into strips or cubes
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 2-inch piece of fresh gingerroot, peeled and minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 to 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice

SAUCE

• 1 tablespoons oil or ghee
• 1-inch piece ginger-root, peeled and minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce (you can use canned diced tomatoes if you want a more chunky sauce)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• Salt to taste
• About 1 cup heay cream
• Chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

To make marinade: Combine all marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Marinate for 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat a gas grill (you can use your broiler if you don't want to grill). Thread the chicken on skewers, and grill, turning, until chicken is cooked, about 5 minutes per side. Discard the marinade. Remove chicken skewers from heat, then remove chicken from skewers and set aside.

To make sauce: Heat one tablespoons oil in a skillet. Add the ginger and garlic, and sauté until golden but not browned. Add the onions, and sauté until soft and golden brown. Stir in the cumin, coriander, curry powder and salt, and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and cream.

Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes more. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve the chicken tikka masala over basmati rice. YUMMERS!