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Lamb Tikka Masala
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Chicken Tikka Masala recipe
Serves 5
For the Lamb Tikka:
1-3/4 lb boneless lamb leg, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander, toasted and ground
1 tsp cumin, toasted and ground
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
For the Masala Sauce:
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, small dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 serrano chile, seeded, ribbed and finely minced. ( I went for 1/2 a pepper for heat-sensitive guests and felt like there was zero heat. I like a kick and would go with 2 peppers, seeded and minced next time, or plan on making a spicy condiment to up the heat on a per-plate basis)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp garam masala
1 28oz can crushed san marzano tomatoes
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
In a large ziplock bag, combine garam masala, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper. Drop in the lamb and shake to combine, making sure it’s all thoroughly coated in spice mix. Pour in the yogurt, and again, shake the bag to combine. Tuck this into your fridge for at the very least 1 hour, but I recommend overnight.
30 minutes before grilling, pull your lamb out of the fridge and skewer them like kabobs, leaving a 1/4 inch space in between each piece. If they were in the fridge overnight, you’ll want to let the skewers sit at room temp for about 20 minutes to take some of the chill off before grilling. Right before these guys head to the grill, season both sides with a healthy pinch of kosher salt.
Lets get to that sauce. Place a dutch oven over medium-high heat and pour in the vegetable oil. Saute the onion until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala, cooking until fragrant and slightly caramelized on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sugar and salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium low, pop the lid on, and let it cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Now’s a good time to get that lamb grilled. On a preheated super hot gas grill, give those skewers 3-4 minutes per side to get a nice char and still retain a tiny bit of pink on the inside.
Back to that sauce. Add the cream and stir for a minute or so until warmed through. Then add in the lamb (pulled off the skewers, please) and top with the handful of cilantro (which I neglected to do in my rush to the table. But do it. Seriously.) We served it up with some steamed basmati rice, peas, a delicious cucumber raita, and some toasted naan bread from Trader Joes. Kim’s hands celebrated the meal! Hurraaaay!
My Thoughts
It was delicious. I love Indian food and I have always wanted to make it instead of always having to go to a restaurant to eat it. The only thing I regret, I forgot to make naan.
My Pictures
It didn't look as red as it does in the pictures!
