Ingredients
Tikka
- 1 kgchicken thighs, in large chunks
- 200 gplain yoghurt
- 2 tbsplemon juice
- 2 tbspginger and garlic paste
- 2 tspground cumin
- 2 tspground coriander
- 1 tspturmeric
- 2 tspgaram masala
- 1 tspchilli powder
- 1 tspsalt
- 2 tbspoil
Masala
- 3 tbspghee
- 2onions, finely chopped
- 2 tbspginger and garlic paste
- 400 gtinned tomatoes, blended
- 2 tbsptomato paste
- 1 tspturmeric
- 2 tspground cumin
- 2 tspground coriander
- 1 tspchilli powder
- 1 tspgaram masala
- 1 tspsugar
- 200 mldouble cream
- 50 gground almonds, optional
- salt
To finish
- chopped coriander
- a swirl of cream
- 1 tspkasuri methi
Directions
- Marinate the chicken in the yoghurt, lemon juice, ginger and garlic paste and all the tikka spices for at least 4 hours, and overnight if you can.
- Use thighs rather than breast. Under the fierce heat that gives tikka its char, breast dries out long before it colours.
- Cook the chicken under a very hot grill, or on skewers over coals, for 12 to 15 minutes, turning, until charred in patches and just cooked through.
- The char is the entire reason the dish exists. Chicken simmered raw in the sauce makes a perfectly decent curry, but it is not tikka masala.
- For the sauce, fry the onions in ghee for a full 12 minutes until deep golden and sweet.
- Add the ginger and garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes, then the ground spices for 1 minute more.
- Add the tomato paste and the blended tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes, until the sauce darkens and the ghee separates out and pools at the edges of the pan.
- That separation is the marker of a properly cooked masala base, and it takes considerably longer than most recipes admit.
- Stir in the ground almonds, the sugar and the cream, and simmer for 5 minutes without letting it boil.
- Add the grilled chicken along with every drop of juice from the tray and simmer for a further 5 minutes so it takes up the sauce.
- Crush the kasuri methi between your palms and stir it in off the heat. It is the note most home versions are missing and it is unmistakable once it is there.
- Finish with chopped coriander and a swirl of cream, and serve with rice and naan.
Technique
- Char first, cook the base until the fat splits, kasuri methi at the end. Those three carry the dish.
- It is widely credited to Glasgow’s Shish Mahal in the 1970s, and Robin Cook called it a true British national dish in 2001.
- The colour should come from the spices and the tomato. Food colouring is a restaurant habit, not a requirement.
Substitutions
- Paneer in place of chicken, charred the same way, for a vegetarian version.
- Coconut cream instead of dairy cream.
- Cashew paste in place of ground almonds.
Variations
- Murgh makhani, the closely related Delhi butter chicken, which is sweeter and uses more butter.
- With a dhungar finish, smoking the finished dish under a lid with a hot coal and a spoonful of ghee.
- Made hotter with fresh green chilli, which is how it is ordered in Glasgow.
History
Widely credited to Glasgow’s Shish Mahal in the 1970s; Foreign Secretary Robin Cook called it a true British national dish in 2001.
Frequently asked questions
What is Chicken tikka masala?
Chicken tikka masala is a main from United Kingdom: tandoori chicken in creamy spiced tomato sauce; curry-house favourite. Widely credited to Glasgow’s Shish Mahal in the 1970s; Foreign Secretary Robin Cook called it a true British national dish in 2001.
How long does Chicken tikka masala take to make?
Chicken tikka masala takes 30 min plus 4 hr marinating of preparation and 50 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Chicken tikka masala?
Yes, within limits. Paneer in place of chicken, charred the same way, for a vegetarian version. Coconut cream instead of dairy cream. Cashew paste in place of ground almonds.
What is the most important thing to get right in Chicken tikka masala?
Use thighs rather than breast. Under the fierce heat that gives tikka its char, breast dries out long before it colours.
