Hakuna matata

I love Indian food. My affair with it goes back to my early 20's when some of the ladies who worked for me would bring me food. They felt sorry for me that I lived alone, and that I needed to gain weight (they should see me now).

My favorites are paneek paneer (a spinach dish), chicken korma and what we had for dinner last night: tikka masala. Just saying tikka masala makes me want to sing, like hakuna matata (very annoying song from the lion king) only I change the lyrics to tikka masala...

Curry Aloo

4-6 baking potatoes, scrubbed and diced

1 tbsp butter, melted

1 tsp curry powder

Present oven to 425. Layer potatoes in a baking dish. Mix the butter & curry powder together. Roast in oven for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Roasted cauliflower

3 c cauliflower, frozen

1 tsp butter

Place cauliflower in baking dish with butter. Put in oven at the same time as potatoes. During the last 20 minutes of cooking, mix in tikka masala sauce.

Tikka masala

4-6 chicken thighs

Tikka masala sauce

Braise chicken thighs in saute pan (I spray with Pam, but you are supposed to use ghee-clarified butter). Place braised thighs in baking dish and roast for 30 minutes, turning once. Top with tikka masala sauce & cook additional 30 minutes.

Serve with naan bread & mango chutney.

For dessert, I love my fake mango lassi:

1 mango, diced

2 dates diced

3 c plain yogurt

1/4 c water (if you want a smoothie)

Add to a blender, puree and serve! You can either serve it like a pudding or as a smoothie