On The Fridge

Place the chili peppers, cumin, coriander, sesame seeds, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, cardamom, ginger, garlic and onions in a food processor. Pulse, scraping down the sides as necessary, to form a paste (don't worry if it isn't smooth), adding 1 to 2 tablespoons water if necessary. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add the spice paste and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, turning once, until brown on both sides. Add the tomatoes and salt to taste and cook for 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and reduce the heat to medium-low so that bubbles just break the surface. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into a piece of chicken should register 165 degrees). Add the vinegar and garam masala. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve immediately.

Per serving (based on 6): 446 calories, 28 g protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 34 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 15 g saturated fat, 61 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber

Recipe tested by Marcia Kramer; e-mail questions tofood@washpost.com

-- Marcia Kramer

SHOPPING CART {vbar}Garmam Masala Test

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What makes one garam masala different from another? Freshness and the right flavor balance. The literal translation for the Indian spice -- which typically includes ground cinnamon, clove, coriander, cumin, cardamom and fennel -- is "warm spice blend." Garam masala is most often sprinkled lightly over a finished dish such as curry. To rate five of the brands most commonly found at grocery stores, we invited some Washington area experts: Monica Bhide, an author of Indian cookbooks and a cooking teacher; Shivani Miglani, executive chef and co-owner of Tandoori Nights at 2800 Clarendon Blvd. in Arlington and Gaithersburg; and Vikram Sunderam, executive chef of Rasika downtown. The results of the taste test are below.