Meera Sodha’s Chicken Curry

I received a rice cooker for Christmas! I had to make some sort of chicken dish to serve with my perfectly cooked rice. 🙂

This comforting chicken curry was very thick and hearty. The recipe was adapted from Made in India: Recipes from an Indian Family Kitchen by Meera Sodha. I also included some of Sam Sifton’s adaptations from The New York Times.

The dollop of yogurt on top was essential. We also ate it with warm naan, roasted cauliflower and steamed spinach.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

• 2 T unsalted butter or ghee
• 1 T neutral oil, like canola
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 cinnamon sticks, approximately 2 inches long
• 2 large white or yellow onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 2 1/2-inch piece of ginger, peeled with a spoon and grated or minced
• 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 2 green cayenne or jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded and minced (or 1 tsp chili powder)
• kosher salt, to taste
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons strained or puréed tomatoes (I used Pomi)
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 3 T whole-milk yogurt, plus 1 cup to serve with the meal
• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 T ground or slivered almonds
• 1 tsp garam masala
• pinch ground cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 1/2 cups brown Basmati rice, rinsed and cooked per package directions

1. Melt the butter or ghee in the oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat, and when it is hot and shimmering, add the cumin seeds and cinnamon sticks. Cook for a minute or two, stirring often, to intensify their flavors.
2. Add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, put the ginger, garlic and chilies into a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt; smash them together into a coarse paste. (You can also do this on a cutting board, with a knife.) (I had a bit of a struggle with this! May try the cutting board method next time.)
4. Add the paste to the onions, and cook gently for 2 minutes or so, then pour in the tomatoes, and stir. Allow to cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture thickens.
5. Add the tomato paste, ground cumin, ground turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon of salt; stir to combine.
6. Add the yogurt slowly to the mixture, using a wooden spoon to whisk it into the sauce. It may be quite thick. When it begins to bubble, add the chicken.
7. Lower the heat, put the lid on the Dutch oven and allow the curry to cook gently for 30 minutes or so, or until the chicken is cooked through.
8. Add the almonds and the garam masala, along with a pinch of cayenne, and cook for 5 minutes more or so. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed.
9. Serve with basmati rice and/or naan, and the additional yogurt for topping at the table.

Mixed Vegetable Curry (Mix Sabji)

This dish could be made with any assortment of leftover vegetables in the refrigerator. It was healthy and flavorful.

The recipe was adapted from Chetna’s 30 Minute Indian: Quick and Easy Everyday Meals by Chetna Makan. I must mention that prepping all of the vegetables was not taken into account when including this dish in a 30-minute meal cookbook! I did double the recipe though. It was worth the extra time.

I served it over brown Basmati rice with warm naan on the side. Topping it with cucumber raita was also suggested in the original recipe.

Yield: Serves 4

• 4 T canola or sunflower oil
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp black mustard seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 large yellow onions, finely chopped
• 2 jalapeños, seeded, if desired
• 6 garlic cloves, grated or pushed through a garlic press
• 2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
• 2 tsp coarse salt
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp amchur (mango powder) or tamarind concentrate
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 3 large tomatoes, finely chopped
• 200 ml (7 oz) boiling water

For the Vegetables:

• 4 T canola or sunflower oil
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into small pieces
• 12 oz green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

To Serve: (as desired)

• brown Basmati rice
• warm flatbread such as naan
• cucumber raita or whole milk plain yogurt

1. If desired, mince the jalapeños and garlic in a food processor; remove and set aside. Chop the onions in a food processor; set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a pan (with a lid available) and add the cumin and mustard seeds as well as the bay leaves.
3. Once the spices start to sizzle, add the chopped onions with the jalapeños and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until golden.
4. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Meanwhile, heat the oil for the vegetables in a large frying pan.
6. Add all of the vegetables and cook them over medium to high heat for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly colored.
7. Stir the salt, ground spices and sugar into the onions with the tomatoes and cook for a minute.
8. Add the vegetables and pour in the boiling water.
9. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes until the cauliflower is tender.
10. Serve with rice and/or flatbread, as desired. Top with yogurt or raita, if desired.

Sous Vide Butter Chicken

Everyone loves butter chicken. This recipe was adapted to make sous vide from a viral Instant Pot recipe. The original recipe by “The Butter Chicken Lady,” Urvashi Pitre, was even published in The New Yorker.

This version was simple to prepare and resulted in perfectly cooked, ultra tender and moist meat. The sauce was amazing too. My husband declared that it was the best butter chicken I’ve ever made! Easy and delicious.

The recipe was adapted from How to Sous Vide: Easy, Delicious Perfection any Night of the Week by Daniel Shumski. We ate it with roasted asparagus and warm naan.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 2 tsp garam masala, divided
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 to 2 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 5 or 6)
• 1 stick (8 T) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, divided
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup (4 T) tomato paste
• brown Basmati rice, for serving
• warm naan, for serving

1. Set the water temperature to 165 degrees F. (It took a little bit shy of an hour for 10 quarts of room temperature water to reach the temperature with my Anova machine.)
2. In a small bowl, mix 1 tsp garam masala, the garlic powder, turmeric, paprika, cumin, salt, cayenne pepper, and ginger.
3. Dust both sides of each chicken thigh evenly with the spice mixture. Pour any remaining spices into the sous vide bag.
4. Place the chicken in the bag and evenly distribute 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of the butter.
5. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Place in a second bag; remove as much air as possible.
6. Place the bagged chicken in the preheated water. (I clip the top of the bag to the side of the water bath container.)
7. After 1 hour 30 minutes, remove the bagged chicken. (Near the end of the cooking process, I cooked the rice and vegetables.)
8. Remove the chicken from the bag and set it aside.
9. Pour the juices from the bag into a blender. (I used a Vitamix.)
10. Add 1/4 cup (4 T) cream, the cilantro, the remaining 1 tsp garam masala, and the tomato paste. Blend until smooth, about 10 seconds.
11. Pour the blended sauce into a medium-size skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the remaining 4 T (1/2 stick) butter and the remaining 1/4 cup cream. Cook, stirring gently, until the butter is melted and the sauce becomes homogenous, about 1 minute.
12. Gently place the chicken in the pan and stir to coat.
13. Cook over medium-low heat, about 1 minute.
14. Serve the chicken over rice drizzled with additional sauce and garnish with cilantro. Serve with warm naan, if desired.

Note: Any extra sauce can be refrigerated in a covered glass container for up to 5 days. Serve over rice, roasted vegetables, or chicken.

Wali Ya Mboga

In Swahili, wali ya mboga translates to “rice and vegetables.” This upscale version incorporated chicken as well. This dish was similar to a biryani with layered rice with greens, caramelized onions, and yogurt-marinaded chicken in tomato curry sauce. To serve, each serving was also topped with pickled onions, called kachumbar, and salted creamy yogurt. Beyond full-flavored.

I must mention that I really browned my tomato paste during the cooking process. Recently, I have read about the importance of letting tomato paste darken for optimal flavor- apparently, I took this advice to heart! The sauce in my finished dish was much deeper in color than in the original recipe.

The recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Zaynab Issa. I modified the proportions and method. I boiled the rice as instructed in the original recipe but struggled with the method- and wasn’t completely thrilled with the resulting texture. Next time, I would cook the rice using a traditional method or use a much larger pot to boil the rice.

Yield: 6 servings

For the Dish:

• 1 2/3 cups good-quality white basmati rice (such as Shahzada)
• 1/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek) (I used whole milk cream-top plain yogurt)
• one 1″ piece ginger, scrubbed, finely grated (about 1 T)
• 8 large garlic cloves, finely grated or pushed through a garlic press, divided
• 2 3/4 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1 3/4 tsp Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric, divided
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 8 medium)
• 4 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 4.5 to 4.6 oz tube double-concentrated tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chile powder or a pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, kale, or spinach, tough ribs and stems removed, sliced into 1″ ribbons (I used baby spinach- not cut or stemmed, about 8 cups, packed)

To Serve:

• 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
• freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 green Thai chile or 1/2 large jalapeño, seeds removed if desired, sliced
• 2 T diced cherry, grape or Campari tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/4 tsp Morton kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek) (I used whole milk cream-top plain yogurt)

To Make the Dish:

1. Place rice in a medium bowl and pour in cold water to cover. Agitate rice with your hands until water is cloudy. Drain and repeat until water is almost clear (about 3 times). Pour in water to cover rice by 2″; soak at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
2. Stir yogurt, ginger, half of garlic, 3/4 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/2 tsp Morton kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp turmeric in a medium bowl to combine. Season with pepper. Add chicken thighs, turning to coat. Let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high. (I used a large enameled cast iron pot.)
4. Add onion and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/4 tsp Morton kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is frizzled and deeply browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer onion to a plate and set aside.
5. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in same skillet (still over medium to medium-high).
6. Working in batches if necessary, remove chicken from marinade and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes on the first side and 4 minutes on the second side. Transfer chicken to a plate, leaving oil behind.
7. Add tomato paste, coriander, cumin, chile powder, remaining half of garlic, remaining 1 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp Morton kosher salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp turmeric to skillet. Cook over medium to medium-high, stirring often, until tomato paste turns a shade darker in color, about 5 minutes.
8. Reduce heat to low, stir in 1 cup water, and bring to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors come together and sauce has thickened, 10–12 minutes.
9. Return chicken to pan and stir to coat in sauce. Remove from heat; cover and keep warm. (I placed the pan in a warming drawer.)
10. Drain rice and cook in a very large pot of boiling generously salted water 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. (Alternatively, the rice can be cooked traditionally using a 1:2 ratio with boiling water. Cook, covered, over low heat for 15 minutes.)
11. Stir the Swiss chard, kale or spinach into the rice.
12. Continue to cook until rice is tender and greens are wilted and bright green, about 1 to 3 minutes more.
13. Drain in a colander and let sit 10 minutes to allow moisture to steam off.

To Assemble and To Serve:

1. While the rice rests, combine onion, lemon juice, chiles, tomatoes, and 1/4 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/8 tsp Morton kosher salt in a small bowl. Toss with a fork to combine, breaking up the onion slices. Let kachumbar sit 5 minutes.
2. Stir yogurt and remaining salt in another small bowl.
3. To serve, fluff rice with a fork, making sure the greens are evenly distributed; transfer to a platter.
4. Scatter reserved caramelized onions over and arrange chicken on top. (Or for a more casual look, return rice to pot and gently stir in chicken and onion.)
5. Serve with kachumbar and salted yogurt alongside.

Kuku Paka (Chicken & Coconut Curry)

I was happy that the weather cooled down a little bit so that I could sneak this dinner into our springtime menu. The sauce was beyond creamy and delicious. Typically, this dish is prepared with charcoal-grilled chicken; I loved that this recipe was adapted to make using the broiler instead- perfect in cooler weather.

This recipe was adapted from Let’s Eat by Zaynab Issa, via Bon Appétit. It is a wonderful version of this popular East African-Indian chicken curry. It gave my son, who is studying World History in high school, a moment to review the impact and influences of the Indian Ocean trade routes prior to 1450 with our family. 😉 In Swahili, the trade language formed across the Indian Ocean, Kuku means chicken and Paka means to smear, to spread, or to apply.

The original recipe recommends using boneless thighs but notes that any cut of chicken, or a mix of breasts, tenders, or drumsticks (with pieces of similar size), could be substituted. A mix of vegetables can also be used in lieu of chicken to create a vegetarian version. I served it over rice with steamed spinach. Fast and fabulous.

Yield: 4 to 6 Servings

• 3 to 6 garlic cloves
• 2 lemons, divided (one for marinade & one for serving)
• 1 1/4 tsp Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more (or 2 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt)
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika or Kashmiri chile powder
• one pinch or dash of cayenne pepper (omit if using Kashmiri chile powder)
• 2–3 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 8 to 10 large)
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 plum tomato
• 1 medium jalapeño or 1–2 green Thai chiles, seeded and ribbed
• 1/4 cup (packed) cilantro leaves with tender stems, plus more for serving
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 can (13.5 oz) unsweetened coconut milk
• 4 T (1/4 cup) heavy cream (can substitute nondairy milk or additional coconut milk)
• Basmati rice and/or crusty bread, for serving

1. Finely grate the garlic cloves into a large bowl with a Microplane; alternatively, a garlic press can be used.
2. Cut 1 lemon in half and squeeze juice into the bowl; discard seeds.
3. Mix in 1/2 tsp Morton kosher salt (or 1 tsp Diamond Crystal) and the smoked paprika and cayenne pepper (or Kashmiri Chile powder).
4. Add the skinless, boneless chicken thighs (I used 10) and toss to evenly coat.
5. Cover bowl and let sit at room temperature 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the curry base.
6. Coarsely chop the onion, tomato, chile(s) (depending on how spicy your chiles are and your heat tolerance), and cilantro. Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend or process until smooth. (I used a Vitamix.)
7. Place an oven rack in the highest position. Heat the broiler. (I set my oven to Broiler+Max at 500 degrees.)
8. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a high-sided skillet or large pot over medium. (I used a large, low, and wide enameled cast iron pan.)
9. Add ground coriander, ground cumin, and ground turmeric. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
10. Pour in purée and add 3/4 tsp Morton kosher salt (or 1 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal). Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until raw onion smell subsides and curry is paste-like in consistency, 15–20 minutes.
11. Arrange chicken on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet and broil until cooked through, charred in spots, and a thermometer inserted into the thickest parts registers 165°, 14 to 20 minutes. (I placed the chicken “skin side down” for 7 minutes, flipped each piece over and cooked an additional 7 minutes.)
12. While the chicken is cooking, shake the can unsweetened coconut milk to ensure coconut cream is incorporated, then add coconut milk to curry and stir well to combine. Curry should be pale yellow. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until warm and slightly thickened, 5–10 minutes.
13. Once chicken is finished, add chicken and all of the pan juices to the curry and reduce heat to low; mix well to combine. Stirring constantly to prevent curry from breaking, dribble in the heavy cream.
14. Taste and season with more salt, if needed.
15. Serve the chicken and sauce over Basmati rice garnished with additional cilantro.
16. Cut remaining 1 lemon into wedges. Serve kuku paka with crusty bread and lemon wedges for squeezing over at the table, as desired.

Creamy Tadka Dal with Roti

I loved the combination of textures and colors from the mix of beans in this creamy dal. The recipe was a “staff favorite” in Food and Wine, contributed by Antara Sinha. It was included an article titled “Good to the Last Sop: Cozy Dinners That Deliver Endless Comfort.” The original recipe includes instructions to make homemade roti to serve with the dal to sop it up. 🙂

We ate this dish with store-bought roti but I included the roti recipe from the original article below. I wish I had made the homemade roti because we tragically did not enjoy the store-bought version. (Homemade is always better!) I served the dal over brown Basmati rice with steamed spinach on the side. Hearty and delicious vegetarian comfort food.

For the Dal:

• 3/4 cup dried moong dal (split yellow mung beans) (about 5½ ounces) 
• 3/4 cup dried masoor dal (split red lentils) (about 5 ounces) 
• 3/4 cup dried chana dal (split bengal gram) or dried toor dal (split pigeon peas) (about 5¾ ounces) 
• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric 
• 6 to 7 cups water, divided 
• 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil 
• 4 green cardamom pods, crushed, shells discarded 
• 4 whole cloves 
• 1 ¼ teaspoons cumin seeds  
• 1 medium-size yellow onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)  
• 2 medium-size fresh serrano or jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded if desired, and finely chopped (about 2 1/2 tablespoons) 
• 1 medium tomato, chopped (about 1 cup) 
• ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish 

For the Roti:

• 2 cups atta (Indian whole-wheat flour) (about 8 5/8 ounces), plus more for dusting 
• 3/4 to 1 cup water, divided 
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
• melted ghee, for brushing 

For the Tadka:

• 3 tablespoons ghee 
• 3 small dried chiles (such as Diaspora Co. Whole Sannam Chillies), or more to taste (I used Bird’s Eye)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

To Serve:

• brown Basmati rice, optional
• steamed spinach, optional

To Start the Dal:

1. Stir together moong dal, masoor dal, chana (or toor) dal, salt, turmeric, and 6 cups water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high. (I used a medium enameled cast iron Dutch oven.)
2. Reduce heat to medium-low; partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until dal is soft and tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Add up to remaining 1 cup water, 1/4 cup at a time, until desired thickness and consistency is reached.

To Make the Roti Dough:

1. Stir together atta, 3/4 cup water, and salt in a medium bowl. Knead mixture in bowl until all dry flour is incorporated, adding remaining 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed to incorporate flour.
2. Transfer dough to a clean work surface; knead until stretchy and slightly sticky, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Shape dough into a ball, and return to bowl. Cover with a clean towel; let stand at room temperature until dough is smooth and matte, about 30 minutes.

To Season the Dal:

1. Heat oil in a medium-size heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium.
2. Add cardamom, cloves, and cumin; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds.
3. Add onion and chopped fresh chiles; cook, stirring often, until onion is lightly browned around edges, 5 to 8 minutes.
4. Add tomato; cook, stirring often, until tomato begins to break down, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Add tomato mixture and cilantro to dal mixture; stir to combine. Season to taste with salt.
6. Cover and keep warm over low.

To Cook the Roti:

1. Once roti dough has rested, turn out onto a work surface lightly dusted with atta.
2. Divide dough evenly into 16 pieces (about 1 ounce each).
3. Working with 1 dough piece at a time and keeping remaining pieces covered with a towel, shape dough into a ball. Dust ball thoroughly with atta, and flatten slightly. Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a circle until uniformly thin and about 6 inches in diameter. Rotate the disk 90 degrees after each roll, flipping and dusting with atta occasionally to make a perfect circle. Repeat with remaining dough pieces.
4. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high. Place 1 roti round in skillet; cook until bubbles start to form and bottom is speckled with brown spots, 30 to 45 seconds. Flip roti using tongs; cook until it puffs up completely and is evenly cooked on both sides, 30 to 45 seconds. (Small charred spots are delicious and totally OK.) If roti doesn’t completely puff up, pat the top using a clean towel to encourage it to inflate.
5. Remove roti from skillet, and brush both sides lightly with melted ghee; transfer to a serving plate. Repeat process with remaining roti rounds and ghee.

To Make the Tadka & to Serve:

1. In a small skillet, heat ghee over medium-high. Add dried chiles and cumin to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until cumin is toasted and fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Divide dal mixture among bowls, and drizzle each portion with desired amount of warm tadka. (I served it over brown Basmati rice.)
3. Sprinkle with additional cilantro, and serve alongside hot roti and steamed spinach, as desired.

Note: Dal can be prepared (without the tadka) 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in refrigerator.

Sheet-Pan Garam Masala Chicken with Cauliflower & Chickpeas

I love yogurt-based marinades because the resulting meat is always juicy and tender. This dish not only had a yogurt marinade, it was made on a single sheet pan and had a bright and spicy “finishing condiment” as well. A winner. 🙂

The rimmed sheet pan did accumulate a lot of pan juices, but the chicken and cauliflower were still perfectly crispy on top. The cauliflower and chickpeas absorbed a lot of wonderful flavors from the pan drippings as well.

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Kat Boytsova. I added chickpeas and served the roasted chicken, cauliflower, and beans over rice, drizzled with pan juices. We also had warm naan on the side. The lemony cilantro-onion-jalapeño finishing condiment was essential and absolutely delicious.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

For the Chicken:

• 3″ piece ginger, peeled
• 2 cups whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup (or more) 2% Greek yogurt, for serving (can substitute whole-milk yogurt)
• 2 lemons
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 T garam masala, divided
• 8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 lbs)
• 2 T plus 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 head of jumbo cauliflower (about 3 lbs)
• 3 T vegetable oil or olive oil

For the Finishing Condiment:

• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and ribbed- if desired
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• rice and/or warm flatbread, for serving, optional

To Marinate the Chicken & Prepare the Dish:

1. Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 425°. (I set my oven to convection roast.) Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
2. Finely grate 3″ piece ginger into a medium bowl. Transfer all but 1 teaspoon of the grated ginger to a large resealable plastic bag, reserving ginger in bowl for the finishing condiment. (I used a gallon-size bag.)
3. Add 2 cups whole-milk yogurt to bag with ginger.
4. Cut 1 lemon in half crosswise and squeeze juice from each half into the yogurt mixture.
5. Add cayenne and 2 T plus 1 tsp garam masala. Seal bag and shake to combine.
6. Season 8 chicken pieces with 5 tsp salt. (I placed the chicken on a plate, seasoned with half the salt, turned each piece over, and seasoned with the rest of the salt.)
7. Place chicken pieces in the marinade bag, seal, and shake again to cover all the pieces.
8. Squeeze out as much air as you can from the bag, which makes sure that all the chicken is covered with the marinade. Let marinate at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or keep in the fridge for up to 4 hours. (I marinated the chicken 3 hours in advance, letting it come closer to room temperature for 20 minutes or so before roasting.)
9. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans. Lay out on a paper towel to dry thoroughly.
10. Cut 1 head of cauliflower into quarters through stem end. Place quarters cut side down and remove most of the core. The cauliflower florets should fall apart and separate naturally, but you can slice any larger florets in half or into quarters until all florets are about 2″ in size. You want the more or less evenly sized so they’re cook evenly.
11. Transfer cauliflower and beans to the prepared baking sheet.
12. Drizzle 3 T oil and 1 1/2 tsp salt over and toss to coat. Spread evenly all the way to edges of pan, making sure that the pieces aren’t too crowded, otherwise they’ll steam instead of roasting. (If you ended up with more cauliflower than can fit in a single layer, take some out and save it for something else.)
13. Remove chicken from marinade, slightly shaking off excess. Arrange on baking sheet skin side up, nestling into cauliflower. (It’s okay if some marinade clings to the chicken, just make sure it’s not pooling in pan.)
14. Roast chicken and cauliflower, turning pan halfway through and moving chicken around with tongs to ensure even browning, until chicken skin is blistered, meat is tender all the way to the bone, and cauliflower is nicely charred, 35–40 minutes. (The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees.) Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

To Make the Finishing Condiment and to Serve:

1. Chop the onion, place it in a colander, and rinse it with cold water. (This removes some of the onion’s sharpness.)
2. In the bowl of a food processor, finely chop the cilantro.
3. Add the onion to the food processor, finely chop.
4. Add onion and cilantro to the bowl with the reserved ginger (from step 2 above).
5. Finely grate zest of remaining lemon into the bowl. Cut lemon in half and squeeze 1 half into the bowl; reserve remaining half for another use.
6. Remove seeds and ribs from the jalapeño, if desired, finely chop. Alternatively, it can be thinly sliced into rings. Add to the bowl.
7. Season with remaining 2 tsp garam masala and 3/4 tsp salt.
8. Mix with a spoon to combine, taste, and add more salt and lemon juice if necessary.
9. Arrange chicken, beans, and cauliflower over rice, if desired, on individual plates or on a platter. Drizzle with pan juices, as desired.
10. Top with lemon condiment and serve with a dollop of yogurt or yogurt to pass at the table, as desired. (I served 2% Greek yogurt with the meal.)