Indian food follow-up

Here are a few of the Indian dishes we made at my ladies' cooking night last week that were particularly good and worth sharing. 

Chola Tikki (chickpea patties)

Ingredients:

I cup boiled chickpeas (we used canned)
3 medium potatoes, boiled, cooled and peeled
2 T. shredded fresh ginger
1 T. chopped cilantro
2 chopped green chilis, seeded
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice

oil to shallow fry

For Serving

Plain yogurt
Cilantro or other chutney

Instructions:

Mash potatoes and chickpeas.  Add other ingredients and mix together.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.  With oiled hands, form into patties, about 1/2 inch thick.  Heat oil in flat bottom saucepan on medium high heat (oil should cover surface of the pan generously) and fry until golden brown on both sides.  Serve hot with yogurt and chutney.

Notes:
1.  You can bake these in the oven instead of frying them.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees, brush with oil on both sides and bake on a greased cookie sheet for about 20 minutes on one side.  Turn them over and bake for another 10 minutes on the other side. 

2. You can make the patties 2 or 3 days ahead.  Keep them refrigerated.

 Chicken Tikka Masala

This came out spicy and delicious!  Very good.

Note: The recipe calls for skewering the chicken and grilling or broiling it.  I did not want to grill and do not have a broiler so I sauteed the chicken with the garlic and jalepeno and then let it cook in the sauce.  This worked wonderfully.  Although I am sure grilling it would add some more authentic Indian flavor, I am not sure it would be worth the trouble.  

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken (I used half theighs and half breasts), cut into 1 inch cubes

Marinade

1 cup plain yogurt
1 T lemon juice
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground red pepper
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 piece (about 1 inch long) of minced ginger
6 bamboo skewers  (if you are grilling)

Sauce

1 T unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalepeno, minced
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

(If you are using bamboo skewers, soak them in water)

1.  Make the marinade (mix all ingredients together) (look at all the pretty spices!)

2.  Let chicken marinate at least 1 hour (on skewers if you are using).  I marinaded over night and the chicken was so tender and wonderful!  I recommend it if you have time.

3. Melt butter on medium heat.

4.  Add garlic and jalepeno, cook one minute.  NOTE: I used 1 jalepeno for a double recipe and it was quite spicy so you may want to only use a half a jalepeno here!

5.  Add chicken (unless you are grilling or broiling it). Let it cook for 10 minutes or so (or until cooked through), stirring frequently.

6.  Stir in coriander, sumin, paprika, garam masala & salt.

7.  Stir in tomato sauce (it is smelling really good now!).

8.  Simmer 15 minutes.

9.  Stir in cream (it starts looking really good now!).

[ if you are grilling or broiling the chicken, do that now, turning occasionally, and add it to the sauce and simmer another 5 minutes).

10.  Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice, naan or pita bread.


Enjoy!