Back in the saddle

Well, it's back in the saddle - so to speak. It's amazing what 10 days, give or take, will do. It's like you totally forget that you have another life. A mortgage, energy bills, taxes... a job. Everything just is forgotten for a while. You live on another plane. There are only beach excursions, little shopping trips, walks to the sand and picnic, endless time to read and run (if you are me). I felt for a while like the clock stopped. Amazing. And then all that other stuff (called your real life) comes flooding back... work, school, dance classes, piano lessons, day care and all those bills that you forgot about! Sounds depressing but really it isn't. It's just life and there is a simple comfort in that. The routine of it. For me, after having two weeks of meals out or made by my Mother-in-law (God bless her), it means getting back into the kitchen and getting busy.

To be honest, I'm broke. Flat, stupid broke. So, right now it's about how little I can get away with buying for the next week and a half or so. For me that means 'let's hope that I've got something in the freezer' (typically I don't keep that much in there) OR 'we're going vegetarian'. Fortunately, I was wise enough to freeze an organic chicken a while ago and it's frozen self was smiling at me when I opened the freezer door.

My cousin/'sister from another mother' was so kind and generous. I asked her if she might be good enough to bring me a couple of my fave magazines (you all know the ones my peeps - that's right 'Delicious UK' and BBC 'Good Food'. Well, they were all out of those ones at the airport but she brought me 3 others which have been tres cool as well. My being broke right now aside, I seriously have to tell you all that if I lived in the UK I would be seriously broke funding my magazine fetish. There. I said it. Feels good.

This recipe caught my eye 'cause it was on the last page of the Jaime magazine and it looked crazy dope. Here's a pic of it...

So, looked easy and tasty and there it was. I had to make it.

Chicken Tikka Masala (Jaime magazine UK)

serves 4

Saute:

1 tbsp of mustard seeds

1 tsp cardamom seeds

3 tbsp grated ginger

5 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tbsp of curry leaves (optional)

Once the mustard seeds start to pop (and they will pop - right out of the pot) add:

3 tbsp garam masala

3 tsp cumin

3 tsp coriander

1 tbsp paprika

some chopped chilli's (optional)

Marinade 4 chicken breasts or one chicken in pieces with half of the spice paste. Marinade for at least an hour. Grill the chicken until done.

Fry 1 sliced onion in 1 tbsp of butter. Add to the remaining spice mix. Once they have gently cooked until they are wilted add:

1 small handful of ground cashews or almonds

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 1/2 cups of stock

salt to taste

Simmer to thicken. Add 1 tbsp garam masala and about 1/2 cup of cream. Add in the grilled chicken. Check the taste and adjust as necessary. Serve with Naan or Basmati rice.