Back in June of this year, I told you about Casa Bontania Bed and Breakfast and its owners Kathleen and Pepe.  Located in San Vito, Costa Rica, it is a must visit if you are in Central America or as your primary destination.  Kathleen is a well-traveled gourmet and made dinner for us while we were there.  The memorable entree was an Indian dish called Chicken Tikka Masala which she learned while living in New Delhi.

A few days ago, I checked my email and was really excited when I saw Kathleen had written.  Not only that, but she included the instructions for the chicken she served us!

The recipe calls for flavorings that you are not likely to have on hand.  In fact, you may be unable to find all of them in your neighborhood.  Personally, I’ve ordered them from The Spice House and this is so good that I encourage you to do the same.  However, if you would like to try it first with quality substitutions, I have included those.  So, as you look at the recipe following, please understand that it contains flavoring substitutes which may not be needed– it  isn’t as big as it looks.   While it is a preparation that requires some time and skill, it is worth twice the effort.  I promise.

Chicken Tikka Masala from Casa Botania

 

Author: Kathleen

Cuisine: Indian

Prep time:  1 hour

Cook time:  45 mins

Total time:  1 hour 45 mins

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Ingredients

• 4 Chicken Breasts
• 6½ Tablespoons Yogurt
• 1⅔ Cups Coconut Milk (Unsweetened)
• 1 14 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 Ounce Fresh Ginger
• 2 Red Onions
• 1 Red Small Chili Pepper
• 3 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Lime
• ½ Bunch Cilantro
• ½ Tablespoon Turmeric
• ½ tablespoon Garam Masala (Indian Spice Mixture)
• 1 Tablespoon Paste 'Tandoori'
• 1 Tablespoon Red Curry
• 4 Tablespoons Sliced Almonds
• Any Kind of Nut Oil
• Ground Black Pepper
• Salt
• 1½ Cup White Rice Cooked According to Package Directions
• For Tandoori Paste:
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
• Teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Dry Mustard
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 1 Teaspoon Turmeric
• 1 Teaspoon Fennel Seeds
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1 Teaspoon Paprika
• ½ Cup Yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
• For Garam Masala:
• 1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
• 1½ Teaspoons Ground Coriander
• 1½ Teaspoons Ground Cardamom
• 1½ Teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• ½ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
• ½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken breasts into wide strips, and place in a large mixing bowl.
2. Spoon the yogurt over the chicken pieces and add the 'Garam Masala', Tandoori Paste, red curry, turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon grated lime zest and juice from ½ of the lime. Mix everything together and let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Peel the garlic cloves and chop the chili. Peel the piece of ginger and cut into pieces. Put the garlic, chili and ginger into the cup of a blender.
4. Rinse the cilantro and cut the leaves off and set aside. Put the stalks in the blender cup. Blend on medium until finely chopped.
5. Heat a large pan over medium high heat and sprinkle the almonds in it. Toast the nut pieces briefly until they get begin to brown. (Stay tuned, because the flakes can burn quickly).Set aside.
6. Pour 3 tablespoons of any kind of nut oil in the pan and heat it over medium heat. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade. Cook the chicken strips briefly on both sides until they have a nice brown color. Do not let them stick to the bottom. When done, remove the chicken to a bowl and set aside.
7. Peel the red onions and chop them into small cubes. Fry the red onion in the same pan in which you cooked the chicken. Add 1 tablespoon of oil. Stir frequently so that the onion does not burn.
8. Pour the seasonings from the blender into the pan with the onions. Continue to cook and stir. Pour the tomatoes into the pan and scrape the pan frequently with a wooden spoon as you cook. Pour in the unsweetened coconut milk. Stir often until you get a smooth sauce.
9. Reduce the heat and add the pieces of chicken. Let the chicken 'Tikka Masala' simmer another 20 minutes. This gives you the time to cook the rice.
10. For the finish:
11. Serve everyone rice with a generous helping of Chicken 'Tikka Masala'. Finish each plate with the fresh coriander leaves (which you kept aside) and some toasted almond flakes.
12. For Tandoori Paste:
13. Mix together salt, cayenne, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, ginger, turmeric, fennel, cumin, and paprika in a food processor. Add lime juice and yogurt when ready to make a paste; store in refrigerator. You can use it as a rub or marinade.
14. For Garam Masala:
15. Mix cumin, coriander, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a bowl. Place mix in an airtight container, and store in a cool, dry place.

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Thanks to Premier Food Service UK for the Chicken Tikka Masala Picture