Ahhh, the joys of Indian cooking!

For those who have yet to discover the exotic world of Indian cuisine, they are truly missing out! And for the relatively small number of Indian cuisine afficionados, there are even fewer who venture at cooking it. My husband and I absolutely fell in love with the dazzling cuisine of Bombay House and, while I'm a fan of most of the menu, my absolute favorite dish is the delectable Chicken Makhani. However, my love affair with this dish began long ago while living in New Zealand (the country has a suprising amount of Indian influence, as does the UK). Anywho, I have made this dish probably a dozen times by now. Aaron absolutely loves it and requests it often (we've also had various guests at our home try it out). It's the tried and true result of several recipes, experimentation and my quest for authentic cuisine. If you think you can't cook Indian food, think again... And don't be intimidated by the exotic range of spices - I usually can get this meal on the table in about 30 minutes. Here we go...

Chicken Makhani
Indian chicken dish in a rich, exotic tomato sauce.

Spice Blend:
2 tablespoons garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup), or ¼ cup dry minced onions
3 teaspoons jarred minced garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup cashews, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup heavy cream or half & half
¼ cup natural plain yogurt

Hot basmati rice, for serving
Naan or pita bread on the side, if desired

To make the spice blend: Stir the ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

Coat a small nonstick skillet with peanut oil or olive oil (and a little bit of butter, if desired). Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Add to skillet and sauté over medium heat until chicken is just cooked through, but still very moist and tender. Season with salt. Set chicken aside. Pour diced tomatoes into a blender and puree until smooth; set aside.

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the pieces just begin to turn gold, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste and spice blend, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning. The spices will be fragrant. Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and stir will. Add the chicken pieces, spoon the sauce over the top and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cashews, cream and yogurt. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes more. (If you have more time, the flavors get better and better as you allow the flavors to meld together, so the longer it simmers the better). Stir frequently. Remove to a serving dish and garnish with cilantro. Serve over hot basmati rice. Serves 4.

Note: Garam Masala is a tradition spice blend essential to Indian cooking. It can be found in most supermarkets (McCormick now makes it in their gourmet blends). Target also has it in the Archer Farms brand. Also, this dish pairs well with a side of naan bread & a tall mango lassi. YUM!