Chicken tikka masala II

It happens every time - it gets a little bit into summer, and for some reason, I am compelled to make spicy food. But then again, I am compelled to make spicy food anytime. This time, it's chicken tikka masala - in the slow cooker!

I've made chicken tikka masala many times before, and in fact it's one of my favorite recipes. But I figured it was time for a foray into the meats section of my beloved Indian Slow Cooker cookbook.

I started on everything last night; Dave cut the chicken and I mixed the marinade: plain yogurt, lemon juice, and a laundry list of spices that I already had on hand, conveniently enough:

• Garlic
• Ginger
• Chili powder
• Cinnamon
• Black pepper
• Salt
  

Then, I made the tomato mixture for the sauce base. Boil, peel, and chop some tomatoes, then mix the following in a blender:

• Yellow onions
• Garlic cloves
• Serrano chilies
• Tomato paste
• Garam masala
• Ground coriander
• Red chili powder
• Salt
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon
• Water

It took a while of shoving down and stirring, but I managed to do this in a blender:


Eventually it was very smooth, and I added the tomatoes and some crushed cardamom pods. It was a perfect fit for one of my larger Tupperware containers, so I stored it in the fridge overnight.


This morning, I mixed the tomato puree and the chicken into the slow cooker and discarded the marinade. It simmered while I was at work, and when I came home, I was hit with the gorgeous smell of Indian spices and cooking chicken.


In case you're wondering, that's a New Glarus Golden Ale in the background, which we opened and paired with the masala. This is a research and development brew that's only available at the New Glarus Brewery in Wisconsin, and we only have four bottles - total! It's wonderful, spicy, and sweet, and I figured it would be a great accompaniment to the main dish.

Yet another victory for the Indian Slow Cooker cookbook - I love that woman and what she is causing me to churn out of my Crock Pot!