TIKKA MASALA STUFFED PEPPERS

By Ana Larramendi

Gluten-Free, Dairy free, Paleo, *Vegan option
Serves 4

Everyone LOVES Tikka Masala!--That awesome creamy curry of chicken and spices served over basmati rice! But what if you’re following a Paleo diet, or can’t eat dairy or are vegan? I decided to make some substitutions to this dish, then stuff the curry into peppers for a delicious baked dinner!
Thick coconut milk replaces the usual heavy cream, and pureed raw cashews and dates give body and sweetness to the sauce. You will love this dish!
 
Ingredients:
SAUCE - part 1:
1 C. boiling water
½ C. raw cashews
6 whole dates, pits removed
1 -14oz. can diced tomatoes
1 - 14oz. can full fat coconut milk
1 TB. Paprika
 
1-2 TB. Coconut oil
1 ½ Lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-size pieces
1 ½ C. zucchini cut into ½ inch dice
1 ½ C. peeled sweet potatoes cut into ½ inch dice
½ teas curry powder
½ teas. Salt
 
SAUCE - part 2:
1-2 TB. Coconut oil
1 onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, Peeled & minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teas. Salt
1 teas. Coriander seed
1 teas. Cayenne pepper ( ½ for less spicy)
½ teas. Cinnamon
½ teas. Turmeric
*4-5-Green, red or yellow peppers; Hollowed out- tops and seeds removed (optional if not stuffing peppers)
Chopped cilantro for garnish
 
Instructions:
SAUCE - part 1:
Pour the boiling water over the cashews and dates. Allow to soak for at least 15 minutes. Then place the cashews, dates, water and diced tomatoes in a blender, puree till smooth, then add the can of coconut milk and Paprika. Puree till smooth.
Reserve this puree for the sauce (this mixture can be made in advance.)
In a bowl, mix together the chicken meat, zucchini, yams, curry powder and salt.
In a large skillet, heat the 1+ TB. Of coconut oil and allow to get very hot. Add the seasoned chicken and vegetables and stir over high heat for about 2-3 minutes, Transfer all these ingredients to a clean bowl to reserve. In the same pan, add the other
1+ TB of coconut oil, then add the onions, garlic and ginger. Stirring, cook over high heat for about 1 minute, then add all the dried spices. Stir for another minute as the spices become hot and fragrant smelling. Then pour into the pan the cashew, date, tomato and coconut cream puree. Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove loose bits of onion or garlic. Then reduce to a simmer.
 
At this time, preheat the oven to 350°.
Choose a baking pan that will fit the 4 peppers comfortably (an 8”x 8” Pyrex pan is great).
Pour 1 cup of the sauce into the bottom of the baking pan and add a ½ Cup of water. Set aside.
Add the sautéed chicken, zucchini and yams to the remaining sauce in the pan. Simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes, or till the yams are tender. It should be a thick, stew-like texture. If too much liquid evaporates, you can add an extra ½ cup of water. Taste the sauce and adjust if it needs salt.
 
Final step: Stuff the peppers with the Tikka Masala curry and place upright (if you can--sideways can work too) in the prepared pan with sauce on the bottom. If there is leftover filling, just pour it around the peppers on the bottom of the pan.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes…OR cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate till you are going to bake it. If you are baking it from a refrigerated state, Bake for 40 minutes instead of 30 (or until center of peppers are hot). It’s ready to serve once it comes out of the oven: Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with freshly made basmati rice.
*Vegan option
For the vegan option, substitute 1 -14oz can of garbanzo beans (drained) for the chicken. Then use
2 C. Zucchini, 2 C. Yam, 1 C. chopped cauliflower and 3 C. chopped raw spinach. All of these can simply be simmered in the prepared sauce. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
Notes:
You don’t have to stuff peppers to enjoy this delicious dish! Just simmer the sautéed chicken, zucchini and yams (or substitute diced butternut squash) in the curry and eat as a stew or serve over rice.
You can also make just the sauce (parts 1&2), freeze it, and make the rest of the curry at a later date adding the meat and veggies to the heated sauce.