I didn't discover Indian food in America - or in India, for that matter. It was during a trip to London that I encountered this wonderfully complex cuisine.
|
ADVERTISEMENT
|
|
|
Have a thought?
Go to the Forums or Chat.
|
|
|
|
Although England is often considered a country with bland cuisine, Indian restaurants - called "curry houses" - abound. In fact, it seemed to me that there was a curry house on practically every corner in London. The cuisine is so popular that one Londoner suggested to me that chicken tikka (a marinated and grilled chicken dish) might be the most popular dish in the country; more popular than dishes for which England is known, such as fish and chips, or steak and kidney pie.
I think he was right, because the chicken appeared not only on curry house menus but also on pub chalkboards and as a topping for baguette sandwiches throughout the city.
On our first trip to England three years ago, my husband, Bond, and I enjoyed Indian food as often as possible. Before we headed back last fall, this time with our two children along, I prepared several Indian dinners hoping to prime the children for a marathon of Indian meals.
After unsuccessfully trying to warm them up to traditional curries, I decided to serve the popular chicken tikka wrapped in whole wheat naan bread. It was a hit, and a meal the children enjoyed once we were in England.
Curry houses also use the tasty marinated chicken tikka as the basis for a fairly mild curry, which we discovered the children also enjoyed. Chicken tikka masala was our son Tripp's favorite Indian dish by the end of our trip.
This week's chicken tikka masala is my adaptation of this Indian dish. Here, I've used chicken breast tenderloin fillets instead of whole chicken breasts or chicken pieces, and marinate them in a flavorful yogurt-lime dressing.
While the chicken fillets cook on the grill, I simmer together a tomato-based masala sauce. The fillets also can be seared on an indoor grill, on a preheated grill pan or nonstick skillet.
Supermarkets today abound with items to help ease the preparation of Indian meals at home. McCormick offers spice blends that save the money of purchasing individual spices and measuring out the many spices used in Indian cooking.
The red curry and garam masala blends were used when developing the recipe. Start with one-half teaspoon of the red curry blend in the yogurt marinade for the chicken, then taste the marinade and add more if you like things spicier.
Fat and calories also are streamlined in the recipe by using fat-free yogurt in the marinade, and substituting a slurry of fat-free half-and-half for the whipping cream usually present in the masala sauce.
The changes save calories but the recipe doesn't skimp on flavor.
Serve your chicken tikka masala as they do in the curry houses, with cooked basmati rice and naan bread.
Most supermarkets carry basmati rice, and you can make it easily at home. Just follow the package directions and add a small piece of cinnamon stick, a few cloves and a cardamom pod or a pinch of ground cardamom, for authentic Indian flavor.
When I'm really pushed for time, whole-wheat tortillas stand in for the homemade naan bread. A fruit salad is the perfect accompaniment to this slightly spicy meal.
Chicken Tikka Masala
For the Chicken:
1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
4 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice, or a combination of the two
1 tablespoon prepared ginger puree or freshly grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 1 large clove
1/4 teaspoons red curry powder*
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound chicken breast tenderloin fillets
Combine all ingredients except the chicken tenderloin fillets in a zip-top plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces and marinate one hour to overnight, refrigerated. Preheat grill on high for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add the chicken fillets. Grill approximately 4 minutes per side, until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees when checked with an instant-read thermometer. Set aside while you prepare the sauce.
For the Masala sauce:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger puree or grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 1 large clove
2 teaspoons prepared garam masala**
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 ounces canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 cup fat-free half-and-half
1 teaspoon cornstarch
For serving:
Whole wheat flour tortillas or cooked basmati rice
Chopped fresh cilantro, optional
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with the nonstick cooking spray and add the onion. Saute until onion is golden, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the ginger puree, minced garlic, garam masala, tomato sauce and water and bring to a low boil. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Whisk the fat free half and half and the cornstarch together in a small bowl and add to the tomato sauce. Add the grilled chicken fillets to the sauce, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes more. Serve 1/4 of the chicken and some of the sauce in whole wheat tortillas or over cooked basmati rice. Sprinkle each serving with some chopped cilantro, if desired. Makes 4 servings.
*If unable to find red curry powder in your supermarket, substitute 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1 pinch cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander seeds in the chicken tikka marinade.
**Substitute 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander seeds, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper and a pinch of ground clove and nutmeg for the garam masala blend in the masala sauce.
Nutrition information per serving: 222 calories, 5 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 72 milligrams cholesterol, 29 grams protein, 15 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 806 milligrams sodium.
Nutrition analysis provided by Michelle Baglio, a licensed and registered dietitian of the Augusta District Dietetic Association.
Coming next week: If pizza is your children's favorite food, they'll love quick and delicious "meat lovers" pizza spirals. See Karin prepare the recipe at noon Tuesday on WJBF-TV (Channel 6).
Write to Karin Calloway in care of The Augusta Chronicle Newsroom, P.O. Box 1928, Augusta, GA 30903. Or send e-mail to karin.callaway@comcast.net. You can find previous Quick Cooking recipes through the online archive at AugustaChronicle.com/karin.
