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One of my major goals for 2010 is to  cook every meal from my favorite and one of the best Indian restaurants in Chicago, <a href="http://www.udupipalace.com/menu.htm#6">Udupi Palace.</a> I've always wanted to be able to cook my favorite meals from Indian cuisine and this was a great way to focus my project.  I put on a fun dress and these adorable "Indian princess" heels my mother picked up in a market stall in India - and got to work!

<strong>TOFU TIKKA MASALA with VIBRANT RICE PILAF AND PEAS</strong>

<em>Udupi Palace</em> doesn't have a cookbook so I am reconstructing my recipes from my mom, cookbooks and around the interweb.  The restaurant features a paneer tikka masala which is yummy but I decided my first foray into becoming a competent Indian chef would be to make a tofu tikka masala.

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Indian food isn’t ingredient heavy (no more say than a lasagna).  Instead, you really have to get the right combination of spices.  In the top row, I have turmeric, ginger, Indian chili powder, and garam masala.  In the second row, I have cumin seeds, crushed cumin, and crushed coriander.  I decided to use store-made tandoori naan (whole wheat) until I learn how to make it.

You can make your own garam masala but it’s available <em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">everywhere</span></em>.   I like having the right proportions and flavor so I prefer the pre-mixed variety.   Shop around until you find a brand you really like – smell and taste it.

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You’ll definitely need a workout after this meal – but it’s worth it.  Here I have heavy cream, plain yoghurt, two boxes of extra firm tofu, 6-8 tablespoons of butter, a large onion and garlic.  You can use fresh ginger but I like the crushed version myself.

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Drain the tofu really well.  That’s the secret to using tofu – sometimes I even drain for two hours because it helps the consistency.   The final ingredients are three cans of diced tomatoes.    I wanted to cook a meal for 6-8 people and have it for the week for for drop-in guests.   Start with the rice if your head is spinning.

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Indian children learn two things after they learn how to walk: to make a perfect cup of tea and to wash rice properly.  I am using white basmati rice but whole wheat basmati rice is available.  Get a rice cooker, because as Roger Ebert says, it will change your life.  The secret formula:  1 cup of rice plus 1 rice of water.  I make three cups and washed it well.

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Washing rice is like doing yoga – it will instantly calm you down.

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Can you tell I really love washing rice?

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Add 2 tablespoons of butter and one tablespoon of turmeric powder to your rice and water.  Then walk away and concentrate on the rest of the recipe.

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Gather your crushed coriander and cumin, the yoghurt and some salt.  (On a trip to Chicago last year, my adorable mother carted spices and labeled my jars).

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Cut the tofu into cubes and add 1 tablespoon of coriander and 1 tablespoon of cumin along with one cup of yoghurt.  Mix it together gently so that the surface is coated.

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You can use a 1/4 cup less yoghurt or more depending on how each surface looks to you.

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Place the tray of tofu on your highest rack and blast that broiler.  With traditional chicken tikka, you are looking for a vibrant orange colour and char marks.  Tofu can char but it needs almost 35-50 minutes.

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Don’t char the whole tray – it will overcook.

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Chop up your onion and garlic.

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And combine with two tablespoons of butter.

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Once everything cooks and is slightly brown, decide whether you need more butter.   Add 1/2 tablespoon of ginger, 4 heaping tablespoons of garam masala, and stir together.

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Add three cans of petite diced tomatoes.

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I like to add extra heat and a greater depth of flavor so I use Thai chilies.

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I like to cut them fairly big – this allows people who might not want the extra spice to pick them out.  They are also great sliced thinly on salads.  Try this combo: cucumbers, Thai Chilies and lemon.

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Then comes the sinful part.  Heavy cream.  I like adding it in quarter cup increments – some tikka masala recipes call for more than a full cup!   I like about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup – you can decide how naughty you want your night  to be!

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Add this to your simmering tomato mixture.

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And stir the wonderfulness together by mixing in your tofu.

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Before you continue with the tofu tikka masala take a moment to prep you naan.  Throw it on some foil (butter or any fat optional) and add some dried parsley and chopped garlic to the top.  Throw it in the oven for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

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When you add the bread to the oven, grab your serving plates and throw them in there too.  It’s the most common rookie mistake:<strong> plating hot food on cold plates.<em> </em></strong>

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Add some lovely frozen peas to your rice and let the heat cook them a bit.

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I plated the rice in my vintage Corningware – I love this design series.

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Chop some delicious cilantro.  It adds a nice cooling touch and crunchy bite.

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Add it to the top of your naan.

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Remove your heated plates carefully.  This seems obvious but there have been times I’ve grabbed them.  Pour your tofu tikka masala on top of your rice and sprinkle more cilantro on top.

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The Boy pronounced this a success – and I can’t wait to serve it to friends for lunch later in the week.

You can use a lot less butter and cream to make it healthier or substitute lower fat creams and use oil spray.  I like making the dishes authentically and creating version 2.0’s for the everyday dinners.

There are wonderful benefits to a lot of the ingredients in this meal – <em>coriander</em> and <em>cilantro</em> regulates blood sugar, <em>cumin</em> is a powerful anti-carcinogen and digestive aid, <em>ginger</em>, whether fresh or ground, has anti-inflammatory properties, and <em>turmeric</em> is a magic spice, doing everything from inhibiting tumor growth, improving cardiovascular fitness, and preventing some neurodegenerative diseases.

So now it’s your turn.  Tell me, do you like Indian food?  Is there a cuisine you would like to master?