Main ingredient for the mango chutney
On facebook, I saw a list from Buzzfeed of 23 Classic Indian Restaurant Dishes You Can Make At Home and immediately wanted to make everything. I chose four dishes to begin with – Mango Chutney, Raita, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Naan. I have to say that normally I cheat a bit whenever I make Indian food. I buy jars of mango chutney, raita (yoghurt cucumber sauce), a basic curry paste for which ever main course I’d like, and prepackaged naan (Indian yoghurt based bread). When I browsed the recipes they each seemed easy, but when it came time to make everything in one day I instantly regretted it. Unless you want to spend your entire afternoon cooking, you should definitely make the mango chutney 2 days before and the raita 1 day before. It will taste better anyway because the flavors can settle. If you prepare these two sides ahead of time, then you have time to focus on your main course and making the naan. All four dishes were fantastic! At least all the time and effort I put in was worth it 🙂
Letting the mango salt overnight to get all of the excess water out
Making the mango chutney – first adding the apples, vinegar, and spices
Next add the mango and let simmer for 40 minutes
The finished product – I actually made enough to fill two bowls this size and both are already gone!
Making the rub for the chicken – salt, cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper
The chicken before being dipped into the yoghurt
Preparing the yoghurt for the chicken – yoghurt, oil, ginger, and garlic
Ready to go into the oven
Sauteeing all of the herbs for the tikka masala sauce – just need to add the tomatoes, chicken, and cilantro!
I forgot to take a photo with my camera of the final tikka masala, so please excuse this cell phone photo!
Getting the cucumber ready for the raita – peeled and deseeded
Adding the mint and ginger to the yoghurt, cucumber, cumin, and coriander
Any time I make Indian I will at least always make fresh raita – so delicious!!
Homemade naan – not the most beautiful but it tasted amazing!
And the result – our Indian feast! Naan, rice, chicken tikka masala, raita, and mango chutney.
An American in Antwerp 
how did you make the naan
I tried to follow the recipe exactly, but my dough was so liquidy from the yoghurt – it was impossible to even roll it. I thought I would try to cook it anyway and the result was perfect. We have a paella pan and I heated it up as much as possible and basically covered my hands in flour to coat the dough and threw it onto the pan (it flattened immediately). The results worked out well and it tasted how it was supposed to – it just wasn’t as pretty. I also skipped adding cilantro because I thought it would burn, plus I added a lot of cilantro to the tikka masala.