Dish description
NAHIM’S FAMOUS CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA RECIPE
There’s been more written about chicken tikka masala, and the right recipe for it, than I suspect any other curry in the UK and perhaps even the world.
Everyone has their own opinion and many purists hate the very idea that this dish exists. For many restaurant and takeaway customers it is the go to meal when ordering a curry and I have several friends who eat nothing else in a curry house.
So here it is, all the way from the Indian Ocean in Ashton, Nahim’s suggested recipe for how to cook Chicken Tikka Masala, the “nation’s favourite” at home.
How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala
First, the marinade for your chicken tikka masala. In a large bowl, combine a generous helping of fresh garlic and ginger paste with yoghurt, a squeeze of lemon juice, fresh mint leaves, red food colouring and garam masala (we created a guide to making that at home here). You might also want to add a pinch of salt to taste.
Add some chicken breast pieces and leave to marinate for 24 hours in the fridge. When you’re ready to cook, skewer the chicken and then grill it unless you happen to have a tandoor oven handy,
To create the signature chicken tikka masala sauce, combine a selection of mixed fresh fruits, including pineapples, cherries, peaches, lychees, mangos and pears, with yoghurt, a squeeze of fresh lemon, fresh mint paste, olive oil and red food colouring with a spice mix of cumin, coriander, black pepper, black and green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and curry leaves.
Next, prepare the curry gravy by mixing onions with olive oil, the same 9 spice mix, turmeric, fresh tomatoes, garlic and ginger. Cook in a pot with water until the onions are soft and starting to dissolve. Then grind the mixture until it has a smooth texture.
Finally, add coconut cream, almond powder and sugar to a pan, along with the tikka masala sauce, curry gravy and the chicken tikka you prepared earlier. Cook on a low heat for 5-7 minutes, add some fresh cream, then serve piping hot with a scattering of almond flakes and a garnish of coriander.
Ingredients for Chicken Tikka Masala
Marinade for Chicken
Chicken Breasts
Garlic
Ginger
Lemon Juice
Yoghurt
Mint leaves
Garam Masala
Pinch of salt
Red food colouring
For the Masala Sauce
Pineapples, cherries, peaches, lychees, mangos and pears, with yoghurt, a squeeze of fresh lemon, fresh mint paste, olive oil and red food colouring with a spice mix of cumin, coriander, black pepper, black and green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and curry leaves
Base Curry Sauce
Coconut cream
Almond powder
Sugar
recipe links
Links to other recipes and useful information about this recipe:
A quick Google search for Chicken Tikka Masala will give you many other recipes along the same lines and from many worthy sources such as the BBC and Jamie Oliver. They will all taste different I can almost guarantee as this is one of the most variable recipe choices in the land.
A word of advice though – avoid the bright red ones as this is probably not a sign of quality just excess food colouring and watch out for the really sweet ones as this is pure sugar.
