Alton Brown's turkey tikka masala is a somewhat American take on the British-Indian staple. As seen on Good Eats: The Return.

Course: Mains

Keyword: Gluten-Free, Indian, Make-Ahead, Thanksgiving, Turkey Tikka Masala

Turkey Tikka Masala

ACTIVE TIME: 1 15

TOTAL TIME: 2 15

Yield: 6 servings

Chicken tikka masala, one of the unofficial official dishes of the United Kingdom, originated as a dish from Punjab, where “tikka”means bits or pieces.

I've put a somewhat American spin on this international dish by using turkey thighs instead of chicken. Why? Because they sear well, but can cook for quite a while without drying, and because they’re pretty much made for stewing and this dish is nothing if not a stew.

Note: If you want to toast your spices my way, use an air-popper popcorn machine. Just load with the spices, cover the opening with cheesecloth, secure with a rubber band and toast until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

This recipe first appeared in Season 1 of Good Eats: The Return.

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1 tablespoon coriander seed
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
3/4 teaspoon brown mustard seed
4 cloves
1 (4-inch) cinnamon stick
7 green cardamom pods
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt (not Greek-style)
1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
2 turkey thighs, boned and skinned
1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for brushing the grill pan
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
4 garlic cloves, grated
2 fresh red chiles, thinly sliced
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and diced
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Fresh mint and cilantro, for garnishing

Specialized Hardware

Grill pan

Air-Popper Popcorn Machine (optional)

ACTIVE TIME: 1 15

TOTAL TIME: 2 15

Yield: 6 servings

Procedure

Toast the coriander, black peppercorns, cumin, brown mustard, cloves, and the cinnamon stick in a dry cast iron skillet until fragrant, about 3 minutes. (See note.) Grind the toasted spices along with the cardamom pods, nutmeg and red pepper flakes in a spice grinder until fine, about 1 minute.
Transfer roughly 2/3 of the spice mixture (about 2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons), the yogurt, and 1 teaspoon of the salt followed by the turkey thighs to a 1-gallon zip-top bag. Seal the bag, squish to fully coat the thighs, and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours.
Place a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the canola oil and, when shimmering, add the onion and the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt. Stir occasionally, until the onion begins to brown around the edges, about 8 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the ginger, garlic and chiles. Continue stirring occasionally until the onion is evenly brown, 7 to 8 minutes more. Add the remaining spice mixture and the tomatoes and cook until reduced and darkened in color, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
Stir in the coconut milk and lime juice. Kill the heat and cover to keep warm.
Park a grill pan over medium heat for 5 minutes, then lightly brush with oil. Remove the turkey from the bag, keeping as much yogurt on the meat as possible, and grill until the yogurt is well-charred, approximately 5 minutes per side. Remove thighs from heat and rest for 5 minutes before cutting into bite-sized pieces.
Add the turkey pieces to the sauce and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 20 minutes, taking care to not let the sauce boil as the yogurt may curdle.
To serve, spoon over basmati or jasmine rice and garnish with fresh mint and cilantro.