Masala (North)

Masala:

Ingredients: 

• 6-8 roma tomatoes

• 1-2 yellow onions

• 1 head garlic

• 1 knuckle ginger

• 1 serrano pepper (optional for spice preferences) 

• ½ cup raw cashews

• 1-2 cups broth of choice 

• Ghee (or butter)

• 1 teaspoon Salt

• ½ tablespoon ground Pepper or 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns toasted and ground 

• ½ tablespoon ground Turmeric or 1 knuckle fresh finely grated 

• 1 tablespoon Garam masala

• 1 tablespoon ground Coriander or whole coriander seeds toasted and ground

• 1-2 tablespoons ground Cumin or whole seeds toasted and ground  

• ½ teaspoon Cardamom or 6-8 pods toasted and cracked 

• ¼ cup of Methi leaves or 1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds 

• ⅛ teaspoon Asafetida (just a pinch really)

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional)

***note: all spices best when purchased whole, toasted, and then ground. You would be amazed by the end flavor if you take this extra step. 

Instructions: 

1. Boil about a cup of water. Soak raw cashews in water for at least 15-30 minutes. Blitz in a high speed blender until fully broken down and no silt remains. If silt remains strain the cashew cream in a fine mesh strainer or a nut bag. 

2. Melt 3-4 tablespoons of ghee or butter in a thick bottomed pot on medium heat. Mince the onions and add to melted ghee and carmelize. This will take about 45 mins to an hour. 

3. Meanwhile peel and finely grate garlic and ginger until you have equal portions. I like to put 3-4 tablespoons but you put what you like. 

4. Mince the serrano pepper if adding and set aside with garlic and ginger. (you can also put the garlic, ginger and pepper in a food processor until minced to your liking)

5. Grate the tomatoes on a large box grater until you have about 2 cups of tomatoes and liquids. 

6. Once the onions are fully browned add the ginger/garlic/pepper to the pot and stir to combine fully with the onions. Let this cook for about 5 minutes but careful not to burn the ginger and garlic or they will taste bitter in the final sauce. 

7. Add tomato puree to the pot and mix well, scraping any bits from the previous step off the bottom of the pot. 

8. While waiting for the tomatoes to heat up add your spices. This is a VERY taste preference activity adding the right amount of spices. Start with the amounts listed and then let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes. Taste and add what you think it needs. If you need to taste each spice before you add it to know what the overall flavor is and whether you should add more of it do that. I almost always end up adding more garam masala, cardamom and coriander. DON'T SKIP THE METHI it makes SUCH a difference. 

9. Let simmer for at LEAST an hour. The longer the better. As the sauce simmers it may thicken, you can add broth as you go until it is the thickness you like. I like mine pretty thick.  

10. When it is the thickness you like add the cashew cream a little at a time until it is the color you like. I go for a light brownish reddish color as the color will deepen as it continues to simmer. Mix until completely combined. At this point I would simmer this an additional 1-4 hours on low or overnight. It makes a big difference in the overall color and flavor. But you do what you have time for. If you only have time to give it 20-40 minutes then do so. The longer you give it the more full bodied it tastes. 

    1. Note: it is traditional to use yogurt instead of cashew cream. The issue with using yogurt is splitting from the acidity of the tomatoes. Some people think that the yogurt splitting renders the sauce inedible but it is still very tasty, just not as nice to look at. I find with using cashew cream instead of yogurt I avoid the splitting issue and get an overall full bodied flavor that I like just as well as using yogurt. Feel free to use yogurt here, add a spoonful at a time, mixing fully until it is the color you like. 

11. At this time do a final taste and see if you would like to add any additional spices, salt, broth, cream, yogurt etc. It is imperative this last taste as it will be what your end product will be. 

12. From here the sauce is finished. You can use the sauce to make any of the below dishes. This basic masala is also the base for Saag, another traditional indian sauce dish with a variety of added greens. 

Tikka Masala: 

Ingredients: 

• Chicken or lamb

• 1 cup full fat Yogurt, plain (non dairy okay) 

• All above spices 

Instructions: 

1. Cut chicken/lamb into desired size pieces. Take as much fat off as you like. 

2. Add spices to meat as a dry rub and rub all over meat until well coated. 

3. Add yogurt to meat and again, rub all over until well coated. 

   1. You may want to use gloves as the turmeric will color your hands yellow. You can also put everything in a gallon size bag and toss around to avoid this issue. 

4. Let the meat marinate for 2-4 hours or overnight. 

5. Preferably you would then use a grill to sear everything until blackened and almost cooked through. You can also use a cast iron or other pan of choice. Blackening adds flavor so do not be afraid to scrape those bits into your dish. 

6. Add the cooked meat to desired amount of masala and let simmer about 20-30 minutes to complete the cooking of the meat and allowing the sauce to infuse with the flavors generated by the meat. 

Butter Chicken: 

Ingredients: 

• Chicken

• 1 cup full fat Yogurt, plain (non dairy okay) 

• All above spices 

• 2-4 tablespoons Butter

• ¼-½ cup Heavy Cream

Instructions: 

1. Cut chicken/lamb into desired size pieces. Take as much fat off as you like. 

2. Add spices to meat as a dry rub and rub all over meat until well coated. 

3. Add yogurt to meat and again, rub all over until well coated. 

   1. You may want to use gloves as the turmeric will color your hands yellow. You can also put everything in a gallon size bag and toss around to avoid this issue. 

4. Let the meat marinate for 2-4 hours or overnight. 

5. Cook meat in a pan until cooked through. 

6. Reheat the masala sauce and strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds and other chunks that may still be there. 

7. Add the butter until melted and worked into sauce. 

8. Add cream until it is the color you like. 

9. Add chicken and cook another 10-15 minutes. Serve with rice or naan. 

Chana Masala: 

Ingredients: 

• 1 can Chickpeas or 1-2 cups of fresh made chickpeas 

• All above spices 

Instructions: 

1. Drain and add spices to chickpeas until well coated. 

2. Add chickpeas to a hot dry cast iron pan until browned to your liking. 10-15 minutes.

   1. You can also do this in an oven at 400* for around 20 minutes. 

3. Add chickpeas to desired amount of sauce and let simmer an additional 10-15 minutes. 

Paneer Masala: 

Ingredients: 

• 1 block paneer 

• Neutral oil of choice 

Instructions: 

1. Cut paneer into desired size pieces. I go for 1” square pieces. 

2. Heat oil in a nonstick pan over med/high heat

3. Add paneer to pan and add a light dusting of salt 

4. Paneer browns very quickly so don’t walk away. Give each side around 5 minutes and remove from heat when you like the color. 

5. Add paneer to desired amount of sauce and simmer an additional 10-15 minutes. 

Aloo Gobi: 

Ingredients: 

• 2-3 potatoes

• 1 head cauliflower 

• All above spices 

• Olive oil 

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400*

2. Cut potatoes and cauliflower into desired size pieces. I go for 1” square pieces or the equivalent. 

3. Glug some oil over them and add the spices tossing until well coated. 

4. Roast in the oven for 25-40 minutes until potatoes are fork tender and the cauliflower is browned to your liking. 

5. Add roasted items to desired amount of masala and let simmer an additional 5-10 minutes.