What is tikka masala

Tikka masala is a rich,creamy, and spicy curry sauce that is originated in Indian sub continent. This dish is one of the most popular restaurant dish and it can be either vegetarian or non vegetarian version.

Chicken tikka masala is a dish where chunks of chicken are marinated in spicy yoghurt, roasted in tandoor and finally cooked in spicy, creamy dark orange colour gravy. With little effort, you can easily make this luscious curry at your home even if you don’t have a tandoor. In restaurants, you will find chicken tikka masala made only with boneless chicken, but I made it with chicken with bones and the taste was divine.

Recipe

Preparation time: 90 minutes

Cooking time: 30 min

Difficulty level: Medium

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1kg chicken (bone-in)
• 1/2 cup yoghurt/curd
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon kashmiri red card chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander-cumin(mixed) powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard oil+1/2 teaspoon more to fry the chicken
• For the rich creamy gravy
• 2 big onions chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 2 big tomatoes(fully ripe) chopped roughly
• 1 teaspoon mixed coriander-cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 3 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kasoori methi(dry fenugreek leaves)
• 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 cup fresh cream

Steps

Take clean and dry chicken pieces and marinate with 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and salt. Keep aside for 10 minutes.

Take 1/2 cup yoghurt, Kashmiri red chilli powder, garam masala powder, coriander-cumin powder and 1/2 teaspoon mustard oil to a mixing bowl.

Mix well with a fork and then marinate chicken pieces with this mixture. Cover and keep aside for an hour(at least).

Heat 1/2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet or none stick pan, add the marinated chicken pieces and fry in high heat.

Fry till chicken pieces are charred on all sides. It is necessary to fry in high heat so that chicken pieces won’t release juices.

Fry all the chicken pieces in high heat and transfer to a dish. The chicken pieces in this stage will not cook completely from inside. It will cook completely when they will be added to the gravy.

In the same pan add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and add chopped onions.

When onions become light golden brown, add ginger-garlic paste and saute till the raw smell of ginger garlic paste evaporates. Make a paste with the chopped tomatoes and add to the pan. Note that if your tomatoes are not bright red in colour then add 1 pinch of red colour to the paste.

Mix and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the dry spices like coriander-cumin powder, garam masala powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, salt and a pinch of sugar.

Mix well, add 1-2 tablespoons of water so that all the spices blend nicely.

Fry the spices well till oil separates from the gravy. Sim the flame and then add 1/2 cup of cream.

Incorporate nicely in the gravy, add the chicken pieces and mix so that gravy coats to the chicken pieces well.

Add little warm water, cover and cook for about 15 minutes in low flame.

After 15 minutes, check the gravy, adjust seasonings and also add kasoori methi(optional).

Delicious, rich, flavorful, creamy chicken tikka masala is ready now. Serve with any kind of bread like naan, paratha, fulka or even with tortilla.