Weightwatchers Tikka Masala

Got leftover turkey?

Photo by +www.cant-live-without.com

Creamy spiced Tikka Masala, the smell wafting around the house so that you feel you've been transported to the banks of the Ganges.


Well I have emerged from the trifle dish with a selection box wrapper in my hand and I'm still lethargic from my food coma which I have been in for over 2 days now. 

This is Christmas and I will not be one once ashamed to say it or to admit that I really enjoyed sitting on my couch watching the film Up with a tin of celebrations around me.  I have a lot to be grateful for.  Two days of enjoying my food will not make me a size 26 again.

Eating like the way I have done for 365 days of the year will.   The trick with Weightwatchers is to know when enough is enough.  If you, like me have fallen into your fridge with your arms open wide since Christmas eve.  Acknowledge it, enjoy it and then move on. 

With saying this, there is a whole lot of turkey and ham floating around my house and I'm beginning to feel that if I eat anymore turkey Christmas dinners or turkey sandwiches that I'm going to grow some feathers but I refuse to throw out the turkey because, 1. it cost a lot and 2. it took a long time to make. 

While browsing the Internet before Christmas, I found this website www.cant-live-without.com that had some beautiful recipes on it for Indian food and the recipe for Tikka Masala looked so good and appeared to be quite friendly in Weightwatchers terms.

This was the most delicious Indian food I have ever had.  Not only did I like it but everyone else liked it.  Its thick, creamy and very saucy. 

Weightwatchers Propoints per Serving 4
Weightwatchers Propoints per Recipe 17
Serves 4 

Ingredients 

For the chicken

270g of cooked turkey 
1 Tbl of Tikka spices
Spray Oil

For the sauce

1 medium sized Onion, cubed
1 jar of roasted red peppers (I bought mine in Dunnes Stores)
6 Cashews
1 tbsp Flora Proactive
1 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1 Tbl of garlic 
1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp of ginger

2 Cardamom pods–ground into fine powder
1 tbsp Kasoori Methi (dried Fenugreek leaves, found in Indian grocery stores)
2 tbsp Tomato ketchup
1 Weightwatchers Layered Summer Fruit Yogurt (I used the Apricot one)
90g of Weightwatchers Fresh Cream
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
1/4 cup Cream 
Ground black pepper 
Coriander for garnish

Directions 

Mist the cooked and cubed turkey in the spray oil and then toss in the Tikka spices and set aside. 

In a large non stick pan, mist with a little spray oil, over a low to medium heat.  When hot add the onion and cook until the onion becomes translucent.  Add in the cashew nuts and cook for a further 3 minutes.   Remove from pan and allow to cool.

Mix up all of your spices together.  In a blender, add the onion and the cashew nuts and all of the red pepper and only a small amount of the juices in the jar of red pepper and blend until you have a fine puree. 

In the same pan, over a low heat, pour the olive oil and the flora.  Allow the flora to melt.  Once melted pour in all of the spices and give a little stir and wait for the aroma to start wafting. 

Add the red bell pepper, onion and cashew puree and gently saute for 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the apricot yogurt.  Add in the  chilli powder, salt and the tomato ketchup. Give it a gently stir, ensuring that this is on a really low heat.  Mix well and then add the cream and give another gentle stir.  

Crush kasoori methi in your hands before adding to the mix and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the turkey pieces in and toss to coat well.  Taste and adjust the salt and add in some ground black pepper.  Keep this over a low heat for about 5 minutes stirring very gently. 

Garnish with some Coriander 

Serve with rice and a Weightwatchers Naan bread for a complete meal. 

If you use the Tesco  wild rice bags and the Weightwatchers Naan bread this whole meal will only cost you 11 Propoints and I promise you this does not taste like that. 

 Enjoy the Niptuck way, so you don't have to!