I got a job - and a terrific new recipe!

Well, I got a job...it should be enough to satisfy the VA, eliminating the need to pay back my college tuition! It's part-time, but around here, those are even almost impossible to get. Seriously. I applied for a job a few months ago...part-time, less than 16 hours, at a (very) small local library. They got almost 300 applications. It's incredible, the jobs people are willing to take when there aren't many jobs.

Anyway...the job I got is at Penzey's. Yes, *the* Penzey's Spice store, my favorite place to buy spices. It's really a great fit, since I currently have about half their stock in my cupboards ;) It's Thursdays and Fridays, every other Saturday, with occasional extra days thrown in due to the holidays. We've got a gal 4 houses down that does daycare, and who comes highly recommended - we're going to try Ceana there and see how that goes. So, keep your fingers crossed for me!

So. On to the recipe. I just bought this incredible cookbook (Um. Remind me to tell you later about the *other* incredible cookbooks I've gotten in the last couple of weeks.). It's called Jamie's Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver (yes, the cute British chef). The point is to become part of the pass-it-on movement...when you buy the cookbook, you can pledge to learn one recipe from each chapter. When you're confident that you've got it mastered, then the goal is to *pass it on* "by teaching at least two people (preferably four) how to cook them, too". Then, you ask them to do the same thing. Ideally, the goal is to be part of a movement that will help tens, then hundreds, then thousands of people learn to cook and eat healthy recipes. Recipes that ANY cook can make, regardless of experience. Kinda cool, no? So, I made my first recipe from the cookbook last night, and it was terrific. Certainly a keeper. Phil loved it, Liam even took it for lunch today - voluntarily. Can you see my mouth hanging open? I had leftovers for lunch myself. Phil tried, but grabbed the wrong dish...and ended up with 3-day-old noodles ;) Poor guy. *snicker*

So, here's the recipe. Try it, enjoy it, and most importantly - pass it on!

Chicken Tikka Masala

Serves 4-6

4 skinless chicken breast fillets, preferably free-range or organic

2 medium onions

1 fresh red chili

a thumb-size (as in length of, not just nail size) piece of fresh root ginger

a small bunch of fresh cilantro

peanut or vegetable oil

a pat of butter

1/2 c. tikka masala or mild curry paste, such as Patak's

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1-14oz can of diced tomatoes

1-14oz can of coconut milk

1 c. plain yogurt

a small handful of sliced almonds

1 lemon

To prepare your curry:

Slice the chicken breasts lengthways into 3/4-inch-thick strips * Peel, halve and finely slice the onions * Finely slice your chile * Peel and finely slice the ginger * Pick the cilantro leaves and put to one side, then finely chop the stalks

To make your curry:

Put a large casserole-type pan on medium to high heat (I used med-high ;) and add a couple lugs of oil (I used about 2 TB) and the butter * Add the onions, chili, ginger and coriander stalks and cook for 10 minutes, until softened and golden * Add the curry paste and the strips of chicken * Stir well to coat everything with the paste and season with salt and pepper * Add the tomatoes and the coconut milk * Fill one of the empty cans with water, pour into the pan and stir again * Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on * Check the curry regularly to make sure it's not drying out and add extra water if necessary * When the meat is tender and cooked, taste and add a bit more salt and pepper - please season carefully (we didn't need to add more).

To serve your curry:

This will be fantastic served with any of his rice recipes - I used jasmine rice. If desired, scoop some yogurt on top (delicious!) * Sprinkle with the almonds and cilantro leaves and serve with some lemon wedges for squeezing over * A little lemon-dressed green salad would round it off

The Verdict:

Seriously - it was delicious. I wouldn't change a thing - though I don't feel the lemon is necessary at all. The almonds add a nice bit of texture, and the yogurt adds a nice creaminess to the hint of spice. Obviously, if Liam is eating it, there isn't a whole lot of spice anyway, though you could easily add another chile to bump up the heat.

QUICK UPDATE:

I just heard back from the VA, and they are going to close my file. Yeah! I won't have that hanging over my head anymore...

Enjoy the recipe, and don't forget to PASS IT ON!