Chicken Tikka Masala

Wow, it has been way too long since I posted a recipe! I'm going to try and do a bit of catch-up over the next week. Maybe we can revive this blog!

A couple months ago I decided to be brave and try making something I've never made before: Chicken Tikka Masala. I had eaten it at an Indian restaurant once before, and I knew I liked it, but I never would have thought to make it myself until I read Pastor Ryan's recipe for it over at The Pioneer Woman. It didn't seem too hard! So I went out and got the ingredients and gave it a try.

Despite the bad lighting in my picture, it turned out a lot like it looked in the pictures on PW. I was secretly very impressed with myself. ;) A couple words of warning, though:

First, this is a PUNGEANT dish. It smelled up our little apartment and sort of leaked out all over the place. You could smell it walking up to our front door. And the smell lingered. And lingered. I did all the dishes, sent the leftovers with Paul to work, lit candles, and sprayed Febreze. And I could STILL smell it! It took about two days for the smell to be completely gone.

Second, turmeric is the spice that makes the rice turn bright yellow. It is strong stuff! If you use it in a rice cooker, be sure to wash it immediately afterwards to keep it from staining. Also, you shouldn't use your cute little white rice scooper to serve it up. Ours is still slightly yellow. Stick with something that won't stain quite so easily.

Third, it is a spicy dish. I think I must be a bit of a wimp when it comes to spicy foods, but I didn't even add in the optional chili peppers and it was almost too spicy for me!

Overall though, it had a great flavor, and I was glad I tried it. I'll probably even make it again sometime as long as no one is coming over for a little while afterwards. ;)

It's a long recipe, so I'm not going to type it all out this time. Here's the link again, though: Pastor Ryan's Chicken Tikka Masala.

Oh, and incidentally, I use this blog basically every week when I plan my menus. I really do! It sure is handy! I don't want it to fall into inactivity. :)