Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken tikka masala is a dish based on chunks of Indian-style roasted chicken (Chicken Tikka) cooked in a tomato curry sauce, originating in India. There is no standard recipe for chicken tikka masala; a survey found that, of 48 different recipes, the only common ingredient was chicken. The sauce usually includes tomato and either cream or coconut cream and various spices.
- Time
- 1 hour
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
- 675 g (1.5 lb) cooked Chicken Tikka
- 2 tbsp mustard seed oil (see notes)
- 4 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 200 g (7 oz) onions, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 tin (28 oz) plum tomatoes, chopped
- 1–4 chopped fresh green chiles (depending on strength of the chiles and the desired strength of the sauce)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)
- 50 ml (4 fl oz) single cream
- 1 tbsp malt vinegar or tamarind extract
- 2 tbsp curry paste
- 2 tbsp tandoori masala paste
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp garam masala
Method
- Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan.
- Add the garlic and onions and stir-fry until browned.
- Add the curry pastes and mix well, adding a little water or yogurt.
- Add the cooked chicken tikka, and stir-fry for two minutes to heat through.
- Add the tomatoes, vinegar, tomato paste, and chilies and simmer for five minutes. Add more extra water if needed.
- Add the cream, garam masala, and chopped cilantro and simmer for a few times.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with Naan, rice coloured yellow with turmeric, onion bahjis and/or a glass of white wine.
Notes
- Mustard seed oil is considered inappropriate for human consumption in many parts of the world and is therefore not always available. A poor alternative can be made by crackling ½ tsp of mustard seeds in approximately 2 tbsp of very hot vegetable or olive oil. Allow to cool, then use in place of mustard seed oil.
- Powdered or concentrated ingredients can be substituted for fresh ones but at the amount of taste.