The World's Favorite Curry: A Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering the Ultimate Chicken Tikka Masala
You might not be done with it in 30 minutes, but the result will be more than satisfying.
Even though we’re more prone to opt for comfort (and quickly cooked) food during busy weekdays, sometimes this irresistible wish for something exquisite comes along. At this point, those who love Indian cuisine might remember about the famous chicken tikka masala that tastes like heaven thanks to its creamy sauce and tender chicken.
Despite the cooking process extending up to several hours, the chicken tikka masala is worth trying — you might use this recipe more than once.
Here’s what you need: 800 g of chicken fillet (breast), 1 cup of rice, 2 cups of water, 200 ml of heavy cream, 200 g of yogurt, 200 g of crushed tomatoes, 100 g of tomato paste, 2 onions, 1 lemon, 50 g of ginger, 6 cloves of garlic, 1 chili pepper, 1/2 tsp of paprika, 1/2 tsp of turmeric, 1/2 tsp of curry powder, 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon, 1 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of ground coriander, 1/2 tsp of cilantro (coriander seeds), 1/2 tsp of cumin, 1 tsp of garam masala, 1/3 tsp of saffron, 1 bay leaf, 2 cardamom pods, 2 cloves, 100 g of sunflower oil, 50 g of butter (or ghee).
Cut the chicken breast into large cubes and place them in a baking dish. Add salt, half of the garam masala spice mix, and ground cilantro.
Peel half of the ginger root and grate it finely over the chicken. Peel half of the garlic and press it into the meat.
Pour in the juice of half a lemon and the yogurt. Mix the ingredients, cover, and let marinate in the fridge for 5 to 24 hours.
Bake the meat in the oven at 220 °C until golden brown.
Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a skillet. Add the bay leaf, cardamom pods, cloves, and seeds of coriander and cumin. Heat through, stirring constantly.
Peel and slice the onion, then add it to the pan. Cook until golden brown. Add the grated ginger and crushed garlic to the pan. Stir, heat through, and add the pureed tomatoes.
Peel and thinly slice the chili pepper, then add it to the tomatoes and onions. Add the garam masala spice mix, cinnamon, paprika, curry powder, and turmeric along with the chili pepper. Stir, heat through, and pour in the tomato paste. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Pour the hot mixture into the pan with the tomato sauce. Pour in the cream and stir. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Rinse the rice, cover it with a cup of water, and cook over very low heat for 18 minutes. Season with saffron and stir.
