A take-away classic. We barbecued the chicken to give it a charred flavour to replicate the tandoor. We used our charcoal barbecue for maximum flavour, but even on a gas one the barbecue flavour is a nice bonus. Serve with rice, naan breads and raita.
Wine Suggestion: this dish isn’t spicy hot, rather richly flavoured. A medium-weight oaked Chardonnay is our choice, with automatically a lot of new world options immediately sprung to mind. We opened a Chateau Beauregard Pouilly-Fuissé instead to see if a classic southern Burgundy worked and were very happy we did.
Chicken tikka masala – serves 4
FOR THE SPICE MIX:
- 2 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp ground coriander
- 2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder (we don’t have this but you can use 2 tbsp of sweet paprika mixed with 1 tsp of medium chilli powder instead)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground fenugreek
- pinch of cloves
CHICKEN TIKKA:
- 1 tbsp of the spice mix (see above)
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 20g fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp yoghurt
- juice of ½ lemon
- 4 chicken breasts, skinned and diced
- fresh coriander, to serve
SAUCE:
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 onions, finely sliced
- 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 25g fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
- 1 tbsp of the spice mix (see above)
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- ½ tsp caster sugar
- 2 tbsp yoghurt
Make the spice mix by mixing all of the spices together. You will have more than you need for this recipe and can use this in any recipe calling for tandoori masala.
Make the marinade for the chicken by combining the spice mix with the garlic, ginger and yoghurt. Put the chicken into a bowl and season well with salt. Add the lemon juice and toss to coat, then pour over the spice and yoghurt mixture. Mix well, then cover and leave in the fridge for a few hours, or ideally overnight.
To make the sauce, heat the oil in a pan and add the onions, garlic and ginger. Cover and cook over a medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft. Remove the lid, increase the heat slightly, and cook for another 5 minutes or until the onions take on some colour.
Add the spices and stir for a minute or so , then add the tomato purée and sugar. Season with salt and pepper, then stir for a few minutes. Add 400ml of water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Blend the sauce with a stick blender until completely smooth, then stir in the yoghurt. You can make the sauce up to a couple of days in advance or if using straightaway, keep warm while you cook the chicken.
Preheat your barbecue until very hot. Place a griddle pan on the barbecue grill and heat until searing hot. Remove the chicken from the marinade and wipe off any excess. Cook for a few minutes or until charring and easy to lift off the griddle. Turn and cook on the other side, until just cooked through. You will need to do this in batches.
If you don’t have a barbecue use a griddle pan on the stove, and likewise wait until searing hot before griddling.
Reheat your sauce if necessary, then add the cooked chicken. Simmer until everything is piping hot, then serve sprinkled with coriander and with some lemon wedges.
(Original recipe from The Hairy Bikers’ British Classics by Si King & Dave Myers, Seven Dials, 2018.)
[…] « Chicken Tikka Masala […]