how to make your home smell like an indian restaurant

Per request I decided to share my favorite Indian meal I’ve made from home, its a combo of a recipe I ripped out of a magazine at my dentist's office a couple years ago (oh so sneakily), some google research, and experimentation.  The only ingredients out of the ordinary is garam masala seasoning (on sale a few months ago at albertsons) and some chiles del arbol (or dried serrano chilis) that I had left over from making roasted salsa. I used to be so scared of those little dried chiles, esp. when they appeared on my plate at a restaurant. But when I made the salsa I discovered when you deseed them they give great flavor w/o too much heat. Now I leave a few seeds in cause I know I can handle it. 
I was also introduced to pollo boullion seasoning from Brad’s Guatemalan grandma “mami oli”, it’s like a secret ingredient, and I’m pretty sure it’s got MSG in it, but so do boullion cubes, and it’s so much easier to sprinkle in…

WARNING: THIS IS A FRAGRANT MEAL!
CHICKEN TIKI MASALA
CHICKEN: ½ tsp cumin      ½ tsp coriander       ¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp salt                              3 chicken breasts     1 C plain yogurt
1 Tbs fresh ginger, grated     2 tsp minced garlic   2 Tbs oil
MASALA SAUCE: 1 Tbs oil, 1 Tbs butter    1 onion, finely diced
2 tsp minced garlic    2 tsp fresh ginger           2 serrano/chiles de arbol
1 Tbs tomato paste   1 Tbs garam masala       1 (28 oz) can tomatoes
2 tsp sugar                ½ tsp salt                      2/3 C cream/yogurt
2 tsp chicken bullion
In a small bowl mix cumin, coriander, white pepper, and salt. Rub onto chicken, place on a plate and cover, refrigerate ≈1/2 hr. In the bowl with any leftover seasoning add 1 C yogurt, 1 Tbs olive oil, 2 cloves minced garlic, and ≈1 Tbs grated ginger. Heat ≈1 Tbs butter and 1 Tbs oil in a large pan. Sauté onion 8-10 min. Add minced garlic, ginger, 2 chiles (mostly deseeded and broken up), 1 Tbs tomato paste, and 1 Tbs garam masala; stir and cook ≈3 min,  thoroughly enjoy the aroma. Drain tomatoes, blend, then add to the pan. Add sugar, bullion, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to med-low, cover, and simmer 15 min. Remove from heat, cover to keep warm. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat broiler. Dip chicken into yogurt mixture to create a thick coating, place on wire rack in foil-lined baking sheet. Add remaining yogurt to the tomato sauce (make sure to bring to a simmer), then additional yogurt/cream as desired. Broil chicken 5-10 min per side till lightly charred and cooked through, cut in 1” chunks and stir into warm sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt and sugar until it makes your mouth water, serve with rice and nann.

NANN
1 pkg yeast    1 C warm water       ¼ C sugar
3 Tbs milk     1 egg                        2 tsp salt
4 ½ C flour    2 tsp minced garlic   2 Tbs butter
Heat a pizza stone in the oven to 450°. Dissolve yeast in a large bowl with warm water. Let stand 10 min, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, garlic, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead until smooth. Place in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, let rise 1 hr (or I microwave 30 sec and let sit in the microwave 5-10 min). Knead on a floured surface and divide in 4 balls. Cover and let rise 30 min. (or 30 sec more in the microwave and let sit 5 min) Melt butter in the microwave. Spread out dough to ≈1/2” thickness (it was easy to spread in the air just picking it up w/ my hands) and brush butter on both sides. Place 2 of the nann on the pizza stone and bake on each side ≈1-2 min till lightly browned. Enjoy the soft yumminess that follows, so perfect for a flavorful sauce.

Namaste! :)