Kefir Tiki Masala For The Crockpot

There is a restaurant in Westminster, Colorado that I just can't seem to find a comparison to here in Austin. My sweet in-laws are lucky enough to live quite close to the Jewel of India. Once in a while they'll post on Face book that they dined there which sends my lip into the pouting stance. I sit at the computer yearning for the delectable spices and authentic foods as I jealously post a comment about their dining experience.

A few weeks back I was in a large food rut, I was just getting ready to succumb to another monotonous dinner choice when my sister-in-law, Danette posted they had been to Jewel of India. I just couldn't take it anymore. I had to try to replicate the Tiki Masala the best I could. I was craving that delicious, savory, melt in your mouth sauce.

I rummaged through my fridge and pantry grabbing at what I had and I thought, " Chandra, you've thrown together some doozies before, if this one fails at least you can blame it on the inexperience of cooking a foreign dish and just chalk it up to a learning adventure." That is a big deal for me because if I put effort into any dish and it turns out bad I get a bit perturbed at the wasted time and food. I've got two particular eaters in the house and if they don't like it they won't eat it.

So, instead of scrolling through countless recipes on the Internet or in my cookbooks and since this was a big experiment and the chance it was going in the dogs bowl or worse, the trash, I just winged it.
No measuring utensils needed I just plopped and poured and guessed at it all. Boy was I elated that this flotsam and jetsam concoction turned out so darn good that we ate every last bit; dragging the naan through the sauce on the plate in back and forth patterns to sop every last drop up. I sat there with a very pleased look on my face as I saw three plates of food being eaten with relish. I made everyone happy in the house and did it with a foreign dish that in my judgment is pretty darn hard to replicate. So I have to share the recipe for those fellow Indian food lovers who can't get to Jewel of India.

Photo by: Michael Whays

CHANDRA'S CROCK POT TIKI MASALA
Place 4-6 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs in the crock pot. Salt chicken. (this cut of chicken is necessary as it makes the best broth that blends with the below sauce). Set crock pot to low.

Sauce:
1 16oz. Can of diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil
1/4 cup Helios kefir with kos (this kefir tastes like sour cream)
1 Tablespoons of Patak's Madras Curry Paste

Put in a food processor and blend till sauce consistency. Pour over chicken in crock pot cover with lid and let cook all day. Just before serving take out chicken, let cool, de-bone and de-skin and place back in sauce to reheat.

Serve with side of brown or white rice and warmed butter naan. (H-E-B brand naan is the best)

Serves 3-4 people.

Maybe we have been so deprived of the excellent tastes of the Jewel of India and have settled with this version to get us by, but it sure turned out great and will be a standby till we can make it back to our favorite Indian restaurant.

Let me know what you think?

Now I just have to get Saag down!