It’s cold, it’s snowing. The boys are being PITAs of the first rank, Czar egging Mr Bob on, then standing back as Mom screams bloody murder… I din’ do nufin’… and finally gives up and lets them in the lower pasture…

…because it’s just easier.

Keeping an eye on the miscreants is best done by watching out the kitchen window, so while I’m engaged in guard duty, I figured I might as well get dinner in hand. I had a nice selection of fresh veggies and a jar of Patak’s Tikka Masala sauce, so voila… bring out the jumbo sauce pan and lets get dinner started.

Tikka Masala

INGREDIENTS

Basmati rice (lovely long grain rice that holds up well to dishes with sauces)

EVOO (extra virgin olive oil, I use Bertolli)

~1/2 jar of Patak’s Tikka Masala sauce

Large boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1” dice (cut when partially frozen, makes it easier)

1 apple-flavored chicken sausage link, ½” dice (because it was in the fridge)

½ each large red and green sweet bell peppers, 1” dice

1-2 large celery sticks, finely chopped

½ box of sliced mushrooms (any kind)

½ large white onion, finely chopped

Small head of broccoli, pulled apart (most recipes call for pre-steaming for a couple minutes – I usually don’t bother)

1 large carrot grated

Handful of cherry tomatoes (using what I had left, about a dozen), sliced in half on an angle

Coarse Kosher or pretzel salt, freshly ground pepper, freshly ground dried garlic, dried basil

Preparation: Rice

1. Heat 1 ¾ cups of water plus 2 tsp of salt and a tbsp of EVOO to boiling
2. Add 1 cup of rice, cover and turn down to low, cook until done, about 15 minutes – don’t let the rice get too dry

Preparation of Tikka Masala dish

1. In large skillet on high bring 1-2 tbsp of EVOO just to smoking, then add chicken and sausage and sauté until browned. Remove to dish.
2. Add 1 tbsp EVOO to skillet, heat to smoking, then add onion, celery, carrot, and mushrooms. Stir fry until onions are translucent (2-3 minutes on med high). Add the peppers and broccoli, continue stir frying.
3. Season to taste with salt, pepper and garlic. Add 1 tsp dried basil. Stir and heat through.
4. Add the half jar of Tikka Masala sauce, stir to blend
5. Add the chicken and sausage, then cover and heat on low for about 10 minutes.

Place the rice in the bottom of a large serving dish, then top with the Tikka Masala mixture.

This dish holds up well with reheating. In fact, I often make it a day ahead to allow the flavors to blend fully.

This is also a dish that works when you need a recipe to use up veggies approaching their use-by date. Tikka Masala is one of my favorite everything but the kitchen sink solutions to what’s for dinner.

Stay warm, read a book, drink a glass of wine!

PEACE

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