Tikka Masala

A rich, creamy and non-spicy take on a famous indian recipe that pairs well with naan

I always love the taste of Indian cuisine, and I usually turn to Indian food when I want a fix of rich and hearty flavours paired with a healthy feel. Today’s recipe is rather easy to make compared to other Indian curries, and it is an easy fix for when you crave something creamy. I’m not sure if it can be classified as a weekday meal, but it is definetely easy enough to make it on a lazy sunday. You’ll probably have leftovers to boot.

Ingredients

Marinade

  • Chicken breasts (or thighs also work)
  • (Greek) yoghurt
  • Fenugreek
  • Garam Masala
  • Cumin powder
  • Ground tumeric
  • Garlic (powder if you don’t feel like peeling garlics)
  • Ginger (powder if you don’t feel like peeling ginger)
  • Ground coriander
  • Lemon juice
  • Cooking oil
  • Salt

Make sure to marinate your chicken at least 2 hours in advance, but preferably overnight!

Curry

  • Red onions
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Tomato paste
  • Water
  • Cashew nuts (make the sauce more creamy)
  • Cooking cream
  • Garam Masala
  • Ground cumin
  • Ground coriander
  • Fenugreek
  • (Optional) cinnamon stick
  • (Optional) bay leaves
  • (Optional) Fresh coriander for garnish

Cooking plan

  • Start by marinating your chicken. First cut your chicken into (bite sized) cubes. Next, add your ingredients for the marinade. I usually add 2 parts Fenugreek, 2 parts garam masala, 1 part Cumin powder, 1 part ground tumeric, 2 parts coriander powder, 1 part garlic powder and 1 part ginger powder. Your marinade should turn out a yellow/orange color. Marinate for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.
  • Next, mince your onion, garlic and ginger seperately. Make sure to use a lot of onions, as they shrink. Otherwise, your sauce will be dominated by the tomato flavour.
  • If using a cinnamon stick, start by toasting it until fragrant. Then, add your onions and some oil to that pot. Cook your onion until caramelised. See this post for tips on fast caramelisation.
  • While you do this, use a skillet to grill your marinated chicken. When a piece has turned crispy, leave it on a plate for a bit. Don’t worry too much about doneness, as you will still cook it later on.
  • Once the onions are done, also add your ginger and garlic. When they become fragrent, add your garam masala, fenugreek, ground coriander and cumin to the pot. The coriander should be your main flavour, but you may add spices to your own taste.
  • Once these spices have become fragrant, add your tomato paste and cook until most of the water content has evaporated.
  • Next add some water to your pot in order to deglaze it, thus creating your curry. Add in your chicken.
  • Mash or blend your cashew nuts with some water. This will become a thickener/smoothener to your sauce. Once it is blended, add it to the sauce.
  • Next, you may add heavy cream or cooking cream. This will make sure your sauces thickens even further, and it can give a more rich and umami flavour to your dish.
  • Finally, you can garnish your dish with some more cream and some fresh coriander. This step is optional, but the coriander really elevates the taste of the dish, and the cream makes it look even more delicous.

ENJOY!