Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe From ‘Indian Simmer’
Every week, we’re spotlighting a different food blogger who’s shaking up the blogosphere with tempting recipes and knockout photography. Below, Prerna Singh of Indian Simmer whips up a not-so-traditional chicken tikka masala rich with Indian spices and cream.
Photo: Prerna Singh
Chicken Tikka Masala
This is a “not so traditional” version of chicken tikka masala. But then again, I am not sure if there is anything that qualifies as a “traditional” Indian tikka masala. In fact, chicken tikka masala was not even born in India. Rumor has it that back in the 1960s, a British gentleman stepped into an Indian restaurant and returned his order of chicken tikka, complaining that it was undercooked. Tired of his customer’s rants, the chef opened a can of tomato soup, threw in some cream and cooked the tikka in the sauce. Ironically, the dish became so popular in England that in 2001, it was declared to be England’s national dish.
Of course, some Indian critics claim that it was born in the early 1500s when Babar, a Mughal emperor sick of choking on the bones of his tandoori chicken, asked his Punjabi cooks to remove all the bones. Cooks terrified of the angry emperor chopped off all the bones before throwing the chicken into the tandoor (clay oven). They cooked the chicken in spices and served it to the emperor.
Whatever be the story, I know that it is one of the most popular Indian dishes. This is a quicker and simpler version than might be found in a restaurant, but I have a feeling that you are going to like it.
For the chicken:
½ cup yogurt (any fat percentage is fine)
1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Kashmiri red pepper powder (This is a red pepper that’s not very hot, but gives a beautiful color. You can use cayenne pepper if you can’t find it.)
1 ½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste
1 ½ teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon red food color (optional)
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into cubes)
Salt
For the sauce:
1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon garlic paste (I prefer fresh but you can use store bought too)
1 tablespoon onion powder (optional)
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon powdered fennel seeds
1 ½ teaspoon powdered black pepper
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes (pureed)
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro (for garnish)
Salt
Prepare the chicken: Mix yogurt and lemon juice and set aside. In a larger separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. Add the yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients, and mix well. Add chicken pieces and nix everything well. Cover the bowl and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour. I did it overnight.
Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers. Grill the skewered chicken until done or pop it into the oven for 15-20 minutes at a temperature of 400°F.
Make the sauce: Pour oil in a thick bottom pan. Add ginger and garlic pastes. Turn on the heat and let the paste slowly cook as the oil heats up. This perfumes the oil and also your house! When the oil is hot, add onion, coriander, fennel, black pepper powder and garam masala. Mix it all together.
Add tomato puree and mix it very well with all the spices. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce starts reducing and the excess water evaporates. Stir occasionally scraping the bottom.
Add cooked chicken pieces along with the drippings if cooked in an oven and cream. Mix it all together and let it simmer for another 5-7 minutes.
Turn off the heat, cover with a lid and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. My mom always says that letting the Indian curry sit for a few minutes before serving helps all the spices do wonders.
Garnish with some chopped cilantro.
More Indian-inspired dishes:
Indian-Spiced Calamari Recipe From ‘A Brown Table’
How To Make Indian Vegetable Fritters
What’s your favorite Indian dish? Tell us below!
