Chicken Tikka Masala Powder
"My doctor told me I had to stop throwing intimate dinners for four unless there are three other people.” -Orson Welles
For a person who never showed any interest in the happenings of the kitchen, I usually surprise people when I say I make and grind my masalas at home. Growing up, kitchen was something where I never wanted to be. No cakes and curries could lure me into my Mom's kitchen. I was happy with my books and never gave food any importance.
Things changed when I moved to Bangalore. In the early years, I was staying with friends and again never bothered to cook or worry about food. But then, when I moved in with my brothers, the kitchen - much to my chagrin, fell into my domain. I somehow pushed the weekdays with packed food and Maggi, but could not escape the weekends. Again being the feminist that I was then, I fought vehemently for what I thought was my weekly off too. To drive my point, It was mostly curd rice with potato fry. I cannot imagine how my brothers who were such foodies, survived with my cooking. I really feel sorry for them now. But back then, I was fighting for my rights. If there are 3 people working during the week, then it should be 3 people in the kitchen on weekends. Not one. Definitely not me.
As the days passed, and if my brothers behaved, they would be rewarded with my version of the fried rice. It was the star entry of the week and the highlight of my cooking. On Sundays, soon after we all woke up, I would announce - to no one in particular - that if anyone wanted fried rice for lunch, then the vegetables better get to my kitchen in time. Yes, I can be the boss when I want to. After hours of chopping and struggling, mostly past lunch time - the much awaited fried rice would be ready. Sometimes burnt, sometimes over cooked and occasionally delectable - the Sunday feast would be done. After all that struggle, nothing on Earth would tempt me to go back in and cook dinner. So dinner was - you guessed it - Fried rice again.
Now, if you know my brothers, you should also know that they are not the ones to put up with this kind of nonsense for long. So to maintain peace and also to keep their sanity, they would bring home kebabs in the evenings to perk up their otherwise dead dinner plates. I was a vegetarian then , so I hardly gave it a second look. I was happy that they are eating something without me being in the kitchen.
Years later, the meat eater that I am now, I cannot imagine all those times I let the kebabs go unrationed between the three of us. Despite the oohs and aaahhs I heard when my brothers ate, I never once bothered to taste what it was that they relished so much. If there is one grouse I have against them, it is this - that they did not force me enough to try those kebabs. Well, who does that ? I thought it was their job profile to force something on to the sister. Imagine the years that I wasted without tasting kebabs. If only I could have those days back - when I did not have to worry about calories and junk food.
I am currently making up for all that and more is another story. Kebabs are a constant in my kitchen these days. In one form or another, we are constantly grilling meat. Today's recipe is a homemade masala powder - Chicken Tikka Masala.
Ingredients :
Coriander Seeds - 3 Tbsp.
Cumin Seeds - 3 Tbsp.
Black Peppercorn - 2 Tsp.
Dry Kashmiri Red Chilli - 15
Black Cardamom - 3
Green Cardamom - 6
Cinnamon - 2 Inch
Cloves - 5-6
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp.
Dry Mango Powder - 2 Tbsp.
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder - 2 Tsp.
Instructions :
Dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorn and dry red chillies until slightly fragrant.
Turn off the heat and allow it to cool.
Once cooled, Add the rest of the ingredients to this and blend into a smooth powder.
Store in an air-tight container and use as needed.
Recipe source : From here.
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