This one is for Megan. I made Chicken Korma for dinner last night. She has trouble when she orders it out. We were going to have it Saturday, but the chicken has to marinate overnight, and we'd had a big lunch, so it was Indian food in front of the Chargers-Titans game.

I have mixed feelings about this recipe. It's from a cookbook called, catchily enough, Complete Indian. You can find it at amazon.com, but I'm really having trouble inserting links, so I'm going to be lazy and give it a pass today. It's a hard balance to make things spicy enough for me and Neel and still doable for Callum (although he will eat spicier than most), but it felt pretty mild to us. I have a feeling that I'll like it better tomorrow, but regardless of my misgivings I'll share it here and you can be the judge.

1. Blend 3/4 cup yogurt, 2t tumeric and a clove of garlic in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour over 4 cubed chicken breasts and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Heat 4T vegetable oil in a large skillet, add one large sliced (or chopped) onion and saute' until soft. Add the following spices: 1t ground ginger, 2 inch piece of cinnamon stick, 5 cloves, 5 cardamom pods, 1T crushed coriander seeds, 1t ground cumin, 1/2t chili powder, and 1t salt. Saute' for 3 minutes longer.
3. Add the chicken with its marinade... and here's where I mixed it up a little: The recipe calls for 1.5T dried coconut, but I used coconut milk mostly because it was what I had. Maybe a couple tablespoons worth. Mix well. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer gently for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and tender. Sprinkle with almonds and serve with rice.

4. Here's how I do my favorite rice: use equal parts water and coconut milk (what the hell else was I going to do with it after only using two or so tablespoons?) and the zest of one lime.

So all in all, a good meal. I could have used some more spice, a little more kick, but it was definitely Korma and not Vindaloo... In place of Naan, I brushed some flatbread with olive oil and roasted garlic. So a quasi-Indian dinner. Pretty yum.