Indian butter chicken and naan

This meal is a family favorite, even my notoriously picky 8 year old loves it!

Naan (Indian flat bread)

1 packet dry active yeast (or 4.5 tsp bread machine yeast)
1 cup warm water
1/4 sugar
3 tbsp milk
1 egg
2 tsp garlic salt (or you could do 2 tsp regular salt and 2 teaspoons of minced fresh garlic)
4 1/2 cups of flour (I usually do half whole wheat and half white)

Mix the yeast and warm water and let it set for 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and knead until smooth (6-8 minutes). Place the ball of dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise for about an hour. Punch down the dough and pull off golf ball sized balls, place them on a tray and let them rise for another half hour (I like to rise them in my oven, I warm it at 200 for 10 minutes or so and then turn it off). Heat a dry cast iron skillet. Flatten or roll the balls into circles and heat 2-3 minutes per side. You can brush each side with melted butter if you'd like. Cover and keep them warm until they're ready to serve.

Yes, it's important to let the yeast and warm (always warm!) water sit for 10 minutes. That's how all those nice little yeasties get activated and make your dough rise.


Did I tell you that dh bought me a Kitchenaid stand mixer? I've been pining for one for years. Is it possible to be in love with an inanimate object? Because I'm pretty sure I am. Yes, kneading dough by hand puts love into your bread and blah blah blah, but sometimes, I just want to get dinner made, and not spend ten minutes elbow deep in sticky dough contemplating how much I love my family and hoping that translates into delicious bread. So there.





After rising in the prewarmed oven, ready to roll!



They don't need to be pretty. We're going for taste here, not photogenicness (is that a word?)



See? Not pretty. But delicious.





Easy Butter Chicken

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (boiled and chopped)
1/4 cup butter
1 onion, chopped fine
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp ground turmeric
1tsp chili powder
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp salt
1 cup milk or cream
1tbsp tomato paste

Sautee the onions and garlic in the butter. Add the cooked chopped chicken, spices, and salt. Stir the milk and tomato paste. Bring to a light boil, then cover and reduce the heat. Let it simmer for at least 10 minutes. Serve over rice and sprinkle with garam masala, if desired.



Incidentally, the sauteeing garlic and onions has been the only thing this whole pregnancy that's actually smelled appetizing. I contemplated eating them right out of the pan, it smelled so great, but decided the atrociously bad breath it would give me wasn't worth it.



Isn't it lovely? And it smells divine. Almost as good as the garlic and onion.