Kawaii Yummy Time Recipe: Tiger Chicken Tikka Masala

Who could have imagined that chicken tikka masala could be so cute? This recipe comes from Yummy Cute Time, a recipe book written by La Carmina which is filled to the brim with–you guessed it–cute recipes such as this one! The concept of the book is “think outside the bento box,” and La Carmina certainly has achieved just that by giving this Indian recipe a completely adorable makeover. Thanks to CNN Go, we don’t actually need to buy the book to learn the secrets of making this, but I’d recommend thinking about doing so if you enjoy the recipe! (Yes, I advertise for free–isn’t the tiger too cute to resist?)

Ingredients
3 (8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, for the skillet
1 medium white onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
4 Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup cooked brown rice
5 dark green lettuce leaves, for garnish
2 red lettuce leaves, for garnish
1 piece round naan bread
1 whole raw almond, for garnish

Yogurt marinade
1 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, garlic, ginger, turmeric, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and lime juice. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the yogurt mixture, ensuring that all sides are well coated. Marinade for 30 minutes to overnight.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onions until browned. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for one to two minutes. Stir in the turmeric, chili, cumin, and coriander. Add the tomatoes and green pepper and sauté until heated through, about two minutes. Remove the chicken from the marinade, ensuring that the pieces remain well coated, and stir into the tomato mixture. Cover the saucepan, bring to a boil, and then simmer on medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a shallow dish.

To make the tiger: Rinse hands with salt water or oil for easier handling of the rice. Mold the rice into one (2.5×3-inch) tiger’s head, two (1-inch-wide) round paws, and two (2-inch-wide) round feet. Arrange the rice in the curry. To form the ears, cut two (0.5-inch-wide) crescents from the green lettuce leaves. To form the stripes, cut five (0.75×0.5-inch) triangles from the green lettuce. To form the eyes, cut two (0.5-inch-wide) circles from the red lettuce; for highlights, place one grain of rice on each. To form the nose, cut one (0.25×0.25-inch) triangle from the red lettuce. To form the mouth, cut one (0.5-inch-wide) W-shape from the red lettuce. Press the facial features onto the rice ‘head.’

To form the paw prints, cut two (1.5-inch-wide) circles and six (0.75-inch-wide) circles from the green lettuce. Press the features onto the rice ‘feet.’