It's back to school and back to crazy schedules. I am not going to lie. It's been a busy few weeks. I was in Pennsylvania visiting my parents with my younger daughter who is leaving for college this fall. She really wanted to spend time with her nana and nani. We got back and then went into full swing packing her up for college. We had a houseguest visiting from Israel. So very special because she's the daughter of my absolute best high school friend, Grace. I don't think she'll mind me talking about her because she's the friend that got me through my tough younger school years. The fact that we are still in touch and that our kids are now connected is beyond special. What does this all have to do with food you ask? Well. When life gets busy, you reach for shortcuts. And that got me thinking. I've created the best Indian food hacks - so why am I not taking advantage of them? I created my line of sauces just for these busy times so that we can continue to feed our family delicious Indian food without compromise. Meet my Tikka Masala.
I tell non-Indians that of course you'll love it. But, I tell my own Indian-American community - surprise - you'll love it, too, because the taste profile is high and what you would expect from an Indian dish that you make yourself. Why I think many Indian packaged food has a tougher time in our own communities - it just does not meet our high taste bar. My tikka masala is from my own recipe made for you and packaged in a jar. It took me three years to perfect.
It is one of the few plant-based options on the market. We make our tikka masala with almonds rather than dairy. This means you choose how to serve it. Just heat it up on the stovetop and eat it as is or add a touch of cream - dairy or an alternative like homemade cashew cream or coconut cream.
The other night as I was scrambling to get dinner ready for my husband - and make it look like I really spent some time thinking it through - I started to think about the kebab bites in the fridge from last week's experimenting. And, a lightbulb went off. It's like an Indian version of Italian meatballs and sauce. I dumped the container of lamb kebab bites in, brought it all to a boil, hit it with some fresh green chiles and cilantro and voila. A meal was born and this blog post, too. I promise I'll have more creative recipes for you soon, but for now, know that you are not alone. Life is busy as we wrap up summer. And at Indian As Apple Pie I not only get you, I am you! What are your tips for getting through this back-to-school craziness? Leave a comment below.
Stovetop: Chicken Kebab Bites & Our Tikka Masala
1 jar Indian As Apple Pie Tikka Masala
1/4 cup cream (dairy, cashew, or coconut)
1 batch kebab bites (chicken, lamb, turkey, or potato)
minced Thai chiles, onion, and cilantro, for garnish
Heat the Tikka Masala in a pot on the stovetop. Once it starts to simmer, add the cream and stir. Add the kebab bites and warm through. Garnish with chiles, onion, and cilantro and serve with rice or Indian bread like roti or naan. Even better? Get a crusty roll and make yourself an Indian version of a meatball sub. Lastly? Hide the jar and tell them you cooked all day! It'll be our secret.
Purchase our Tikka Masala from our website or from a retailer in the Midwest that carries our products. Harvest Market in Springfield and Champaign, Woodlake Market in Kohler, WI, Coastal Seafood in Minnesota, and select Whole Foods Markets in Illinois. Want our stuff on your favorite shelf? Tell them about us! And who knows, maybe we will make it to Shark Tank one of these days!
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