If there is one dish that I will always be in the mood for, obviously aside from those sentimental meals like my boyfriend’s biscuits and gravy or my mom’s phở, it’s tikka masala. Whether it’s smothered in chicken, lamb, or paneer, that creamy, spicy tomato sauce will send me over the edge every. single. time. Now that the weather has gotten quite chilly, I decided to make tikka masala in chili form, combining two staple comfort foods into a new one. PS. This soup goes great with some lemongrass cornbread!
Chili Tikka Masala (Serves 4-6)
• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 2 tsp seasoning salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 cups tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can red kidney beans, drained
• 1 can pinto beans, drained
• 4 tsp garam masala
• 3 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
1. In a skillet, saute minced garlic in vegetable oil until slightly burnt and crispy. Add in ground beef and stir until the meat is evenly spread out in skillet. Add in seasoning salt and 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper.
2. When meat is thoroughly cooked, drain excess liquid and set aside.
3. In a medium pot, mix together tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beans and chopped onions. Add garam masala, sugar, cayenne pepper, salt, turmeric, cumin and black pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Garam masala is another one of those miracle spices that incorporates commonly used spices in Indian cuisine into one. It’s quite similar to Chinese five spice, which is a common ingredient in majority of Chinese dishes.
4. Stir in coconut milk and mix evenly. Add ground beef and let simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
5. Remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro or green onions and serve with cornbread. Voila! A warm, hearty soup just in time for those cold nights.
