Spice Up Your Life: The Perfect Chicken Tikka Masala | Tanusree

 

Spice Up Your Life: The Perfect Chicken Tikka Masala

Who can resist the temptation of Chicken Tikka Masala? It's a creamy, well-spiced curry known throughout the world, probably first licked up in the restaurants of Old Delhi. Today, I'm sharing my own version with some secret ingredients that send it soaring into new territory.

    Ingredients:

o  1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

o  1 tablespoon yogurt

o  1 tablespoon lemon juice

o  1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste

o  1 teaspoon garam masala

o  1/2 tsp turmeric powder

o  1/4 tsp red chili powder

o  Salt to taste

o  For marinade:

o  1 onion, fine chopped

o  2 green chilies, fine chopped

o  A handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

For sauce:

o  2 tbsp butter

o  1 onion, fine chopped

o  2 cloves garlic, minced

o  1 inch piece of ginger, grated

o  1 can, 14 oz crushed tomatoes

o  1 cup heavy cream

o  1 tbsp garam mas

 

Steps

1.   Marinate the chicken:

In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken cubes with the above-made marinade ingredients then set aside, marinating for at least 30 minutes.

 

2.   In another mixing bowl, add chopped onion, green chilies, and coriander and keep aside.

3      Cook the marinated chicken either on the grill or in a skillet till it         becomes golden brown on any side of the chicken.

3.   Prepare the sauce: Take a large saucepan, heat butter. Put chopped onions and cook until they turn golden brown. Put minced garlic and grated ginger, sauté for 30 seconds.

4.   Puree the tomatoes: Put in the pot of crushed tomatoes and allow coming to a simmer, cook for at least 10 minutes, puree the mixture until smooth, thus achieving a much smoother overarching taste of the sauce.

5.   Add flavor: Now, add heavy cream, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, and salt to the blended mixture. Stir and bring this to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes.

6.   Finalize the dish: Put the cooked chicken and the marination into the gravy in the pan. Lightly mix it all together. Add fresh cilantro as a garnish.

7.   Plate: Serve your Chicken Tikka Masala hot with basmati rice or naan bread.

 

Tips:

 

•                 Grill the chicken instead of pan-frying for a smoky flavor.

•                 Add more or reduce the red chili powder for a spicy or less spicy taste, respectively.

•                 Use whole milk instead of heavy cream to make it even richer.

 

Voilà! Chicken Tikka Masala, homemade, tasty, and simply divine.

Happy cooking!