India is known for its many spices that are incorporated into a wide variety of their staple dishes, and Tikka Masala is no different.
The origins of Tikka Masala are uncertain; many say it originated from the South Asian community in Britain while others say it was developed in India. Some claim that the dish was created by a Bangladeshi chef, but one thing is certain — the dish has only been around for about 50 years.
The dish has made its way around the world and is a common dish served at Indian restaurants everywhere. You can easily find it on the menu of restaurants throughout Hudson County!
In Britain, it is known as the second-most popular foreign dish to be served.
Tikka Masala is a creamy tomato chicken curry filled with all the typical Indian spices: coriander, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, ginger and garlic.
Unlike many other curries, Tikka Masala is a simple recipe with few steps to give you a delicious meal in a short amount of time!
If you want to learn how to make this dish yourself, follow the recipe below.
Recipe
- In a bowl, combine chicken with all of the ingredients for the chicken marinade; let marinate for 10 minutes to an hour (or overnight if time allows).
- Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. When sizzling, add chicken pieces in batches of two or three, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until browned for only 3 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm. (You will finish cooking the chicken in the sauce.)
- Melt the butter in the same pan. Fry the onions until soft (about 3 minutes) while scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan.
- Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add garam masala, cumin, turmeric and coriander. Fry for about 20 seconds until fragrant, while stirring occasionally.
- Pour in the tomato puree, chili powders and salt. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes a deep brown red colour.
- Stir the cream and sugar through the sauce. Add the chicken and its juices back into the pan and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling. Pour in the water to thin out the sauce, if needed.
- Garnish with cilantro (coriander) and serve with hot garlic butter rice and fresh homemade Naan bread!
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade:
- 28 oz (800g) boneless and skinless chicken thighs (or breasts) cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon ginger
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili (or 1/2 teaspoon ground red chili powder)
- 1 teaspoon of salt
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable/canola oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 small onions (or 1 large onion) finely diced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic finely grated
- 1 tablespoon ginger finely grated
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 14 oz (400g) tomato puree (tomato sauce/Passata)
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili (optional for colour and flavour)
- 1 teaspoon ground red chili powder (adjust to your taste preference)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups of heavy or thickened cream (use evaporated milk for lower calories)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/4 cup water if needed
- 4 tablespoons Fresh cilantro or coriander to garnish
