September 29-October 12th, 2019 — Let’s travel to India!

Welcome to India and welcome to the fifth edition of the Cool Kids Cooking Club — a “virtual” club where kids and their parents cook the same dishes the same weeks as kids all across the country!

If this is your first time hearing about the club, read this post first about how it all works: Cooking Club Introduction

If you want to join the club — please do! The more the merrier! Click here to join our club group on Facebook, where our interaction will take place (it will ask you three questions to join: if you want to join the cool kids cooking club (this is not a commitment to anything), how old your kids are, and how you heard about the club).

You can also find Week One at this link HERE and Week Two HERE and Week Three HERE and Week Four HERE 

(this is the badge for this edition, if you are doing badges for your kids. If you want to learn more about badges, read the introduction post )

Our 3 Indian Dishes are:

1. Coconut Tikka Masala
2.  Naan Bread
3.  Mango Lassi

You can make all three for one meal, or spread them out throughout the week — whatever works for you and your family! Just try to make all three within the weeks of September 29 and October 12, 2019 (and please post about them in our Facebook group!)

Print Recipe

Coconut Tikka Masala Instant Pot

A super-mild crowd-pleaser curry!

Servings

Servings

Ingredients

Marinade

• 1/2 Cup Plain Yogurt
• 4 Teaspoons Minced Garlic
• 2 Tablespoons Garam Masala
• 1 Teaspoon Paprika
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Tumeric
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt

The Rest

• 2 Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts Cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
• 1 Cup Cocnut Milk Divided
• 1 15 oz Can Tomato Sauce
• 3 Tablespoons cold water
• 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch

Servings Servings Ingredients Marinade 1/2 Cup Plain Yogurt 4 Teaspoons Minced Garlic 2 Tablespoons Garam Masala 1 Teaspoon Paprika 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Tumeric 1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt The Rest 2 Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts Cut into 1 inch pieces 1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil 1 Cup Cocnut Milk Divided 1 15 oz Can Tomato Sauce 3 Tablespoons cold water 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch

Instructions

1. Mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl and then add the chicken. Let marinade at least 15 minutes, or up to overnight.
2. In the Instant Pot, select the Saute setting and heat the coconut oil. Add the chicken and marinade and smooth into a single layer to cook for 3 minutes. Stir and cook another 3 minutes.
3. Pour in the tomato sauce and 1/2 cup coconut milk. Stir. Secure the lid, make sure the vent is sealed, and set Pressure Cook or Manual for 10 minutes at high pressure.
4. After the ten minutes, allow the pot to vent naturally for 10 minutes more, and then release the excess steam.
5. Press Cancel and switch back to Saute. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup coconut milk and cook for 5 minutes to thicken. If you like your curry thicker (like me) put the cold water and corn starch in a cup, stir it up, and pour it into the instant pot. Stir and it should thicken up nicely.
6. Serve on Basmati rice and with a Naan bread!

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Naan Bread

The perfect compliment to an Indian meal!

Servings

Breads

Ingredients

• 1 Teaspoon Instant Yeast
• 2 Teaspoons Sugar
• 2 Cups Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 3 Tablespoons Plain Yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Butter
• Kosher or Sea Salt

Servings Breads Ingredients 1 Teaspoon Instant Yeast 2 Teaspoons Sugar 2 Cups Flour 1 Teaspoon Salt 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder 3 Tablespoons Plain Yogurt 2 Tablespoons olive oil Butter Kosher or Sea Salt

Instructions

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, add 3/4 warm water (about 110F on a thermometer), the sugar and yeast. Let sit 10 minutes
2. In a stand mixer (or by hand) mix the flour, salt, and baking powder. After the 10 minutes, add the yogurt and olive oil to the yeast mixture and slowly pour all that into the flour mix while stirring on low speed.
3. Switch to your dough hook or knead by hand for 2 minutes. Grab the dough out of the mixing bowl, oil the bowl with a bit of olive oil, put the dough back in it and cover with a towel. Set in a warm place to rise until double in size. I like to sit mine outside (I live in Phoenix where it is hot!) and it rose the right amount in less than an hour. It might take more than that if it isn't someplace as warm.
4. Put a cast iron skillet (or any stove-top pan -- I used just a non-stick frying pan) on the stove and set to high heat. Allow it to get VERY hot.
5. Turn out the risen dough onto a floured surface and cut into 6 even size pieces. Working with each piece individually, flatten them with a rolling pin into tear-drop or circular doughs. The thinner the better! Take one dough over to the pan at a time and wet each side with water with your hands before laying into the pan. Cook for 1 minutes, then flip, cover with a lid, and cook an additional minute. Dough should bubble and blacken a little. Repeat with all the dough pieces.
6. Right when they come off the heat, rub with butter and sprinkle generously with chunky kosher or sea salt.

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Mango Lassi

A refreshing beverage to cool off from spicy curry

Servings

Glasses

Ingredients

• 1 4 oz jar Pure Mango Baby Food
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 1 Cup Plain or Vanilla Yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar

Servings Glasses Ingredients 1 4 oz jar Pure Mango Baby Food 1/2 Cup Milk 1 Cup Plain or Vanilla Yogurt 2 Tablespoons Sugar

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add/subtract as much sugar as you like!
2. I used mango baby food because it is hard to find perfectly ripe mangoes most time of the year. Read the ingredients on the jar and make sure the only ingredient is mango!

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My Tip For The Week:

This club is YOUR club for YOUR family. YOU decide what is getting made by who and what is necessary to “earn” badges or whatever other system you may have in place. My philosophy is a lot like “Better one in the hand than two in the bush” — it’s better to get the meals done imperfectly, than to continue putting it off until the right night. We have to eat every night — so don’t put it off! Just do it!

Also:

I hope you are showing your kids our Facebook Group! One of the main aspects of the club is connecting with other kids. My children love looking at the pics and videos of your kids making and eating the same foods they are. It is a highlight for sure!

If you are newly joining us and want to purchase badges, I take orders on a monthly basis. So please wait until the end of October when I make the November order, and let me know if you want the September and October badges as well. Badges are $3 each per week per child and I order them 1 month at a time ($12 per child per month). I buy the badges online in bulk and am selling them at cost. I will personally mail them to your home!

Badges are totally optional and not necessary to participate in the club — but I’ll tell ya — my kids are TOTALLY motivated to help cook and eat the food when they know they are receiving a badge! It’s the best! The badges get sewn onto the child’s personal apron and are a reminder of the awesome achievement they made; of helping cook and trying new foods!