Chicken & Vegetable Curry

I've gone through a lot of Indian curry recipes but this one is my favorite so far. Cooking Indian food is a bit intimidating, not only because of the many spices you need but also because if you haven't had a lot of it, it's tough to know what you're aiming for. My good friend Dane introduced me to Indian cuisine and the art of making a delicious Indian meal. Although most times in her kitchen I was responsible for chopping the onions, lots of them, it was always worth it in the end. I like this one, and it's actually very easy - don't be afraid!

Best served with Basmati rice and/or naan (butter and toast very lightly on a cookie sheet)

2/3 cup Greek-style yogurt
1/4 cup tomato paste (1/2 small can)
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 1/4 tsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp minced ginger
1/4 tsp ground red pepper or red chili flakes
2 chicken breasts, cut into small, bite sized pieces
1 large onion
1/4 tsp cardamom
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 small zucchini (halved or quartered, then chopped)
2 cups cauliflower, chopped
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup peas
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. Whisk the first 8 ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Add the chopped chicken and mix well together. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

2. In a large Dutch oven, add enough vegetable to coat the bottom, the onion, zucchini, mushrooms, cauliflower, cardamom and cinnamon stick. Cover and sautee over medium high heat until the onion is soft and golden. Stir often!

3. Add the chicken mixture to the pan and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the broth, paprika, and salt and stir well to incorporate all of the ingredients and to get the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.

4. Cook for about 30-45 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken.

5. Add the coconut milk, peas and cilantro and cook for another 5-10 minutes.

Serve over rice.