Going to India

Tonight we went across the world and tried our hand at making some good Indian food. The main dish tonight was Chicken Tikka Masala with rice. For a side dish we went with some nice grilled Naan. For desert I made a chocolate fudge cake with a chocolate ganache and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Weston ended up eating some of the chicken and taking one bite of the Naan. Winter refused the chicken but took a nibble of the Naan and then told us it tasted like "pizza". They both finished there own meals, so they got a treat of vanilla ice cream with sprinkles.

Everything turned out great but the Naan was the star tonight. I will say this was one of the most labor intensified meals I have made so far. Now on to the pictures and recipes.
Chicken Tikka Masala

Marinade
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cardamon
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp black pepper

Sauce
1 tbsp butter
1/2 onion - finely diced
1 clove garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
8oz. tomato puree
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt to taste

Directions

1. Prepare the marinade: In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, ginger, cumin, cardamom, cayenne, and black pepper. Pour the marinade mixture over the chicken and rub it all over the meat. Cover with plastic and let sit in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight.

2. When you’re ready to cook the chicken, position the top oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler (the second rung from the top in conventional ovens). Preheat the broiler.

3. Cover the inside of a baking dish with tin foil or parchment paper, making sure the liner goes up along the sides. Transfer the chicken to the backing dish, wiping off as much marinade as possible (or else the chicken ends up steaming instead of broiling). Broil for 15 to 20 (depending on how big your chicken thighs are), flipping your chicken over halfway through the cooking time. The chicken should be cooked through and have some black/brown spots on the outside. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board to cool.

6. While the chicken is cooling, heat a Dutch oven or large sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add the butter and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the onions and cook gently cook until golden, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, ground cumin, and paprika and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomato puree, scraping the bottom of the pan or pot to release any brown bits. Allow the sauce to simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

4. While the sauce is simmering, and after the chicken has cooled enough to touch, cut each piece into large bite-sized pieces.

5. After the sauce has thickened, stir in the heavy cream and bring the sauce back to a simmer. Adjust the seasoning with salt, if needed. Add the chicken and stir to coat with the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle chopped cilantro on top, and serve with basmati rice.

Naan

1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tbsp milk
1 egg (beaten)
2 tsp salt
4.5 cups bread flour (used AP)
2 tsp garlic (used garlic salt)
oil or butter - grill

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. 2. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
3. Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. 4. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
5. During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
6. At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.



Chocolate Fudge Cake with Chocolate Ganache

1 cup AP flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1.25 cups brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup warm water

Ganache

8oz. chocolate chips - we use semi sweet
1 cup heavy cream

Directions

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350 F. Grease the bottom of an 8x2- or 9x2-inch round cake pan or line it with parchment.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift only if the cocoa remains lumpy after whisking. In a large bowl, combine the melted butter and brown sugar with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Add the eggs and vanilla; stir until well blended. Add the flour mixture all at once and stir just until all the flour is moistened. Pour the hot water over the batter; stir just until it’s incorporated and the batter is smooth. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes for a 9-inch pan; 35 to 40 min. for an 8-inch pan. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 min. Run a thin knife around the edge and invert the cake (peel off the parchment if necessary). Invert it again onto the rack and let cool completely.

Once cool, set the rack over a baking sheet or foil. Pour the warm ganache over the cake and use an icing spatula to spread it over the top of the cake and down the sides. Let set for about an hour before serving.