Chicken Tikka Masala…. Masalaish, that is.

Is there such a thing as an authentic recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala? I doubt it very much. When I did my bit of research for this delight, I came up with a number of conflicting claims on the original. For many years, I thought that it was just some greasy, mild creamy muck that came in a jar from the supermarket. You know the type of stuff, hot colour, thin taste and a huge desire to drink lots of water later in the evening. There are claims that a Pakistani chef, operating in Glasgow, having run out of curry sauce, added some spice to his tomato soup and Chicken Tikka Masala was born. Others believe it to be an Indian original and I believe that England also lays a claim to its origins. In truth, most Chicken Tikka Masalas I have ever tasted didn’t merit anybody claiming the original.  So, I thought I should try my own.

Purists (Can there be such a person for a dish of indeterminate origin?) may not like the fact that I leave out the cream. I replace it with coconut milk and I also add in mustard seeds. Get over it.

Anyway, here’s the business end of this little rant. This is a recipe of two halves. First there is the chicken and then there is the sauce.

This is a “Stand on a ladder to get the shot” set of ingredients.

Ingredients (for the chicken)

• 8 free range chicken thighs, boned and skinned
• 1/4 litre of yoghurt
• 4 cloves of good garlic
• 5cm/2” ginger root
• 1 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon of chilli
• A pinch of salt

Ingredients (for the sauce)

• 2 onions chopped fine
• 2 teaspoons of mustard seeds
• 4 cloves of good garlic
• 5cm/2” ginger root
• 1 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 14 oz (400g) tin of tomatoes
• 14 oz (400g) tin of coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon of chilli
• A few pinches of salt
• 8 or so dried curry leaves
• A handful of fresh coriander to finish

You will note a lot of similarity between the two lists above. When I got my ingredients together, I peeled and blended the ginger and garlic for both lists at once. It makes for more efficiency.

It is a lot of ginger and a lot of garlic for one dish.

First thing, peel and blend the garlic and ginger. Use half of it and mix it with the other ingredients for the chicken. Then slice the chicken into large bite sized pieces. Next, add the chicken and stir to coat the chicken. Leave it in the fridge for at least an hour and preferably four hours.

You don’t need any of the intermediate step photos. This is simple to do.

To make the sauce, chop the onions. Then add a tablespoon of butter or cooking oil to a hot wok or large saucepan. Then add in the mustard seeds.

I used butter. It adds a nice sheen to the final sauce.

When they start to pop and spit all over the place, add the onions and turn down the heat. Sweat the onions for about five minutes or until they become translucent. Add in the garam masala, turmeric, cumin, ground coriander and salt. Fry this mixture until the aromas of deliciousness are released throughout the kitchen. Then add the tomatoes, chilli and coconut milk. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce.

I couldn’t resist a pouring shot. The coconut pours nicely.

Back to the chicken. Heat a barbecue to hot and add the chicken. (You can do this on a griddle pan, if you like). This is to char the chicken, not to cook it.

In another world, somebody might think this is cooked. It isn’t.

When it is charred, add it to the sauce and let it cook over a low heat for about half an hour. The chicken tikka masala is now ready to serve. However, it will taste better if you let it sit overnight and reheat. Remember to chop and sprinkle the fresh coriander just before serving.

A good half hour in the sauce makes for a delightful meal.

This is the best tasting Chicken Tikka Masala you will taste. It is a truly wonderful dish with layers and layers of flavours. I served it with rice and Naan breads. We also enjoyed a couple of beers with it too.

Best served with a beer. In the UK they tend to drink the beers first.

It may not be completely authentic, so I call it “masalaish”. But, none of the “authentic” recipes seem to have any real provenance. I really can’t believe the tomato soup nonsense. Can you?