With fresh garlic, ginger, and turmeric root blended in a sauce of lemon and tomato how could anyone resist this? My 100% authentic Indian girlfriend, Farheen, suggested which spices to use and taught me the importance of using fresh whole spices to toast and then grind before use. The difference between doing this and not, is the difference between smelling and, well, NOT SMELLING. The fragrance and flavor is immensely improved when you toast your spices whole and grind them fresh. I simply use a food processor. 100% worth the extra step.

The fragrant preparation of dry toasting whole seeds of cumin and coriander in a pan is very rewarding. Grinding and pounding with a mortar is extra fun for the kids- or a stressed out adult. I combine the toasted spices with paprika and some cayenne to achieve the awesome flavor imparted to tikka masala. I use only fresh turmeric and ginger. Fresh turmeric root has such a powerful flavor and is very beneficial for your health. Aside from the stained yellow fingers, this is one fabulous root to incorporate into savory cooking for a major flavor impact. 

The mariande involves a deliciously zesty yogurt-lemon-spice sauce that the chicken bathes in overnight, or at least 2 hours. I use chunks of chicken breast because it is a lot less preparation and eliminates the whole step of chucking the meat off of the bone after it cooks. Because this recipe uses a flavorful marinade and simmer sauce, juiciness is not compromised at all. 

Once all those flavors get well acquainted with the chicken, you char-grill it or broil it in your oven. Grilling tastes much better, of course. 

 The chicken does not need to be cooked through while grilling or broiling, as it will still simmer in the tikka sauce. 

I use a tablespoon of olive oil or coconut oil + a tablespoon of ghee (clarified butter or “samna”) to impart the essential buttery flavor, without having to use the 4 heaping tablespoons of ghee originally called for! 

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let it sizzle…

 …until nice and caramelized with some tasty burnt parts!

Tomatoes, lemon, and cilantro are then added and pureed with an immersion blender.

Add milk or cream- whatever your dietary preference is.  Cream and butter are traditional and necessary for the classic creamy and buttery taste, but even I feel that would be too heavy. I prefer a dash of cream or milk with lemon and tomato being the dominant flavors of the sauce.

Add the chicken and the remaining chopped cilantro and serve with rice or naan. SO GOOD.

Chicken Tikka Masala

2014-02-01 15:14:58

Serves 6

A hearty and flavorful chicken dish, full of lemon, garlic, and fragrant spices!

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Prep Time

1 hr 15 min

Cook Time

25 min

Total Time

1 hr 40 min

Prep Time

1 hr 15 min

Cook Time

25 min

Total Time

1 hr 40 min

Ingredients

1. 7 pounds chicken breast pieces, skin removed
2. 4 tablespoons toasted ground cumin
3. 3 tablespoons toasted paprika
4. 3 tablespoon toasted ground coriander seed
5. 2 teaspoons fresh turmeric root
6. 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
7. 12 cloves garlic, 8 whole, 4 minced
8. 4 tablespoons fresh ginger root
9. 3 cups plain yogurt
10. 1 cup fresh juice from 6 to 8 lemons, divided
11. Kosher salt
12. 1 tablespoon butter or ghee
13. 1 tablespoon olive oil
14. 1 large onion, thinly sliced
15. 1/4 c sliced shallots
16. 3 cups diced tomatoes
17. 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
18. 1/4 c cup heavy cream (optional)
19. 1/4 c milk
20. 1/2 c vinegar for washing (optional)

Instructions

1. Wash chicken pieces with vinegar and salt. Place in a large rimmed baking dish.
2. Toast cumin and coriander seeds in a pan over medium heat, moving around frequently so that it does not scorch. Grind in a food processor or spice mill. Toast the paprika over medium heat in pan.
3. Combine cumin, paprika, coriander, and cayenne in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside 4 tablespoons of spice mixture.
4. Combine remaining 7 tablespoons of the spice mixture, 8 whole garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons ginger, turmeric root, yogurt, 1/2 cup lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of salt in a blender or food processor and pulse until combined, and garlic and ginger are minced. Pour marinade all over chicken pieces, stirring well to ensure good coverage. Cover and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.
5. GRILL: If cooking on a grill, preheat the grill and spray olive oil onto the grill tray. Scoop up chicken pieces and shake off excess marinade off of chicken and place over hot side of grill. Grill without moving until well charred, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip chicken and cook until second side is charred, another 2 to 4 minutes. (Chicken may not be completely cooked through, which is fine as it will cook more in the simmer sauce). BROILER: If cooking in the oven under the broiler, line a pan with heavy duty aluminum foil (to prevent charring and stuck on stains) and preheat the broiler to high with the rack set as close to the top broiler as possible to fit a pan under. Shake off excess marinade off of chicken and place on foil-lined pan. Broil until charred and blackened on surface, about 7-10 minutes, depending on your oven (chicken may not be completely cooked through, which is fine as it will cook more in the simmer sauce). Be careful not to dry out the chicken!
6. Meanwhile, heat ghee in a large pan over medium-high heat until melted. Add onions, remaining 4 cloves of grated garlic, shallots, and remaining 2 tablespoons of ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, until dark and beginning to char in spots, about 5-10 minutes.
7. Add the olive oil and allow to heat then add the reserved spice mixture stirring frequently for about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and half of cilantro, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a spoon. Simmer for 15 minutes until tomatoes are juicy and soft. Puree using a hand blender.
8. Stir in cream and milk and remaining half cup of lemon juice. Season to taste with salt, then set aside until chicken is cooked.
9. Transfer chicken chunks to the pan of sauce. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro, then serve immediately with rice or naan.

Notes

1. *The marinade yields a large quantity. I save half of it for later and cook only 3 pounds of chicken at a time for my family, but make the same amount of the simmer sauce for 3 pounds of chicken as it is so delicious and good on the rice or naan! Make the entire quantity if cooking for 6-8 adults.
2. *Cream and butter may be completely omitted and the dish will still taste fantastic but this will take away from the traditional and characteristic creamy Indian tikka masala flavor. I substituted some milk and used just a bit of ghee to impart the buttery flavor. Making ghee at home is very easy and smells/tastes amazing! If you are interested in seeing this method, leave me a comment below!

By Noha ElSharkawy

Adapted from Serious Eats J Kenji Lopez-Alt

Adapted from Serious Eats J Kenji Lopez-Alt

Sugar & Garlic https://sugarandgarlic.com/

If you have not been bringing your turkey, then you are really missing out on some juicy goodness! I have had far too many dry turkeys and even started to dislike turkey because of this. I decided to brine and cook a turkey this year and I am SO glad that I did! I love marinating all my meats, so why not my turkey?! If the concept seems daunting, fear not because it is actually quite easy! Brining is quite important because as with any meat, cooking denatures the proteins, causing it to become drier. With especially lean meat such as turkey, that requires such long cook times, that leaves room for a lot more drying out. With brining however, you are soaking the meat in a salt solution which causes the turkey meat to essentially absorb a lot more liquid so that when it cooks, it is losing much less moisture lending itself to a juicy, tender, and tasty bite! Read more about the science behind brining and how it works here.

So how do you prepare a delicious brine? Here is how it happens step by step. I made a citrusy rosemary brine, which smelled incredible. In my trial, I was using a huge 20 lb turkey so I did need some help from my husband at one point to hold the brining bag open and then to carry it into the fridge. I’m a little weak. Nonetheless, the big bird still fit on one single shelf in my regular sized refrigerator. Beware of using a frozen, Kosher, or pre-marinated turkey as these will likely already be prepared in a brined solution so the meat has already been “broken down” and possibly already quite salty! I used a fresh turkey that was slaughtered the day I bought it; you cannot get fresher than that! (Visit taaza2u.com for fresh, halal meats delivered to your door!)

You will need:

1-2 gallons of water (16 cups in a gallon)

brining bag (found near the meat section of your grocer, or try Reynolds oven bags) be careful about using trash bags or other plastics that are not BPA free or food grade plastic!

kosher salt (its larger crystals dissolve faster than table salt)

sugar

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First you need to wash the turkey in cold water and remove the giblets. 

Next you will boil about 8 cups of water with 2 cups of salt and 2 cups of sugar, along with the herbs and spices. I used peppercorns, orange rinds, sliced lemons, sliced onions, salt, rosemary and thyme. Once the salt is dissolved, add about 10 more cups of cold water, and a few of cups of ice to cool the mixture. 

Place the turkey in the bringing bag and pour the solution all over it. Seal it tightly, removing any extra air, and place the bag in a large aluminum tray. Refrigerate for about 24 hours, turning the turkey over after about 12 hours to ensure the breast is well covered too.

The next day, before roasting, wash the turkey well and pat dry. Now it is ready for you to season and roast! Happy brining!

Turkey Brine

2013-11-25 06:09:28

an easy brine solution to make a perfectly juicy, tender, and moist turkey!

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Prep Time

24 hr

Total Time

24 hr

Prep Time

24 hr

Total Time

24 hr

Ingredients

1. one fresh (not frozen) turkey
2. 1-2 gallons of water
3. 2 cups kosher salt
4. 1 1/2 cups sugar
5. 2 tbsp peppercorns
6. 2 tbsp cardamom (ground or whole)
7. the rind of 2 oranges
8. 2 lemons, sliced
9. 2 onions, sliced
10. 5 sprigs fresh rosemary
11. 5 sprigs fresh thyme
12. brining bag

Instructions

1. Remove giblets and any excess skin. Wash the turkey well and pat dry.
2. Boil 8 cups of water and dissolve the salt and sugar.
3. Add the lemon, orange, onion, peppercorns, cardamom, and fresh rosemary and thyme. Stir.
4. Once the salt is dissolved, remove the pot from heat and add about 12 more cups of cold water and ice.
5. Place the turkey in a brining bag and pour the brine solution all over.
6. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours, turning the turkey over half way through.
7. The next day, before roasting, remove the turkey and wash well to remove excess salt.

By Noha ElSharkawy

Sugar & Garlic https://sugarandgarlic.com/