Indian Chicken Masala, Naan Bread and Belgian Beer (Leffe and Grimbergen)
Chicken tikka masala is a dish made of chicken chunks that have been grilled, known as tikka and a sauce that is a rich red-orange in color. The sauce contains tomatoes, cream and spices.
There are several theories about the origins of chicken tikka masala. Some people believe that the dish was created in Punjab in northern India. There is another view that it originated in the Indian restaurants in Soho, London during the 1970s. There is an interesting little story about the dish and its origins. It is believed that an Indian chef invented it in a Glasgow restaurant when a customer asked for the traditional tikka masala to be served with more sauce.
Whatever its origins may be, the chicken tikka masala is now often known as Britain’s national dish. It is actually considered more of a British dish than an Indian dish and is exported from the UK to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. There is no standard recipe for the dish. In a survey it was found that there were 48 different ways of cooking it. The only common ingredient seemed to be the chicken! The sauce of the chicken tikka masala usually includes tomatoes, cream or coconut milk and various spices. The chicken and the sauce have a reddish-orange color due to added turmeric, paprika or even food coloring.
You may even come across vegetarian versions of this dish such as paneer butter masala or the chicken may get replaced by lamb or fish tikkas. In all of these versions, the sauce is made from the same ingredients.
The traditional way to make the chicken tikka is to marinate the meat and then grill it in a clay oven, known as a tandoor. This is what gives the chicken a lovely, smoky flavor. However, nowadays it is quite usual to cook the chicken on a regular grill.
How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala
To make chicken tikka masala, begin by marinating boneless chicken pieces in yoghurt, red chili powder, ground fresh root ginger, ground garlic, ground cumin, garam masala, lemon juice and salt. Leave the chicken to marinate for at least an hour. Grill or bake the chicken till it turns golden. Make sure you don’t overcook the chicken while grilling it.
Baste the chicken with butter as you grill it so that is stays moist. In the meantime, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat butter. Use vegetable oil if you want to minimize the amount of butter. Add in ground fresh root ginger and ground garlic. Cook for a minute and add in chopped onions. Once the onions get caramelized, add in chopped or pureed tomatoes and cook on a moderate heat until the oil splits from the sauce.
Add in cumin and coriander powder, salt and sugar and the chicken tikka pieces. Simmer for 5 minutes. Pour in milk gradually and allow the sauce to simmer till you get the right consistency. Take off the heat and serve hot. For a richer version of the dish, you can finish it with fresh cream and garnish it with chopped fresh coriander.
Tips
Enjoy you chicken masala with some typical Indian side dishes, Naan bread is a must, a refreshing cucumber raita recommended. Image credits go to Annie Mole.
