Recipe - Weekends - Father's Day

Phew! It's FRIDAY!! It's been a busy yet fun week and we're definitely ready for the weekend.

We made Indian Butter Chicken last night and I've been meaning to post this recipe for a while. The most important parts to this is a. the timing on cooking the peanut sauce, shallot, & spices and b. getting all the spices in there.

Here goes:

INGREDIENTS

* 1 tablespoon peanut oil
* 1 shallot, finely chopped
* 1/4 white onion, chopped
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
* 1 teaspoon garam masala
* 1/2 teaspoon tumeric
* 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
* 1 teaspoon chili powder
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 bay leaf
* 1/4 cup plain yogurt
* 1 cup whipping cream
* 1 cup tomato puree
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
o use a little less if you don't like spicy things
* 1 pinch salt
* 1 pinch black pepper


* 1 tablespoon peanut oil
* 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
* 1 teaspoon garam masala
* 1 pinch cayenne pepper
* 1 tablespoon ground cashews
* 1/4 cup water

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Saute shallot and onion until soft and translucent. Stir in butter, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon garam masala, chili powder, tumeric, fenugreek seeds, cumin and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomato puree, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in half-and-half and yogurt. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat, and season with 1 teaspoon garam masala and cayenne. Stir in a few spoonfuls of sauce, and simmer until liquid has reduced, and chicken is no longer pink. Stir cooked chicken into sauce.
3. Mix together cornstarch and water, then stir into the sauce. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Note: Sometimes we'll cook the chicken in more whole pieces and let it simmer in the sauce for 30-60 minutes.... the chicken will fall apart this way :)

*********************************************************************

It's Father's Day on Sunday and we're going to the Mariner's game with Chris, Syd, G-Ma, G-Pa, & myself. I love having my family together :)

Enjoy your father's this weekend.

More later.....

- L