Chicken Tikka Masala

You're not going to eat that, are you?

Yes, I am. And very scrummy, yummy it

was too.

Don’t let the cast of characters put you off attempting this recipe, it’s basically chicken and tomatoes, with a load of spices thrown in. And don’t be fooled by appearances, curries are not terribly photogenic, tending to look like something the dog has thrown up, but believe me they taste, and smell, divine.

This is a very mild curry, so even if you’re not a fan of really spicy food, you’ll like this. You should allow the chicken to marinade for a minimum of four hours, overnight is best. You will also need 4 skewers for grilling the chicken.


Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients:

Marinade

1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
A generous dash fresh ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1-inch fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes.

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine first 8 ingredients, and stir in chicken. Cover bowl, and marinade in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

Curry Sauce

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 jalapenos, deseeded and finely chopped (or if you want extra fire in your curry leave seeds in)
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons garam masala. (I couldn’t get any of this so I used red curry powder)
1 14 ounce can whole tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 beefsteak tomato cut into wedges
1 cup cream (substitute yogurt if you want a lighter dish)
Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish. (Personally, I don’t like cilantro so I used parsley, fresh from my pot of herbs).
2 cups basmati rice, cooked according to package dierections.

1. Pre-heat grill to medium-high.
2. Thread chicken onto skewers, lay them on a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil, and refrigerate until required. Discard marinade.
3. In a large, deep-sided skillet melt butter over a medium heat, add garlic and jalapenos and sauté for 1 minute.
4. Stir in coriander, cumin, paprika, garam masala, canned tomatoes, and tomato paste. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. While sauce simmers, put chicken skewers laid on foil on the grill and cook for 15 minutes.
6. Add cream and chicken to sauce and stir well, simmer for a further 10 minutes.
7. Garnish curry with cilantro and serve with hot, cooked basmati rice and naan bread.

I wasn’t too happy with the naan, I need to perfect it a bit, so I won’t be posting that recipe yet.