Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken Tikka Masala has a scrumptious , creamy texture restaurant style gravy, which is not only one of the best gravies but due to coal dungaar. The gravy has a smokey flavor too.
Chicken Tikka Masala has a very vibrant color besides its creamy and rich texture . Here is my Recipe of flavorful , creamy and tongue tickling Restaurant style Chicken Tikka Masala Gravy .
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INGREDIENTS:
- 3-4 medium tomatoes
- 2 tsp kashmiri red chilly powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 or 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 2-3 tbsp fresh cream
- 1 tsp dry crushed kasoori methi
- 60-70 gms cashews
- 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 2 onions finely chopped
- 3-4 peppercorns
- 3-4 cloves
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 2 green cardamon
- 2 bay leaves
- oil /ghee /butter
- 2 tbsp cream
- coriander leaves for garnishing
- 1 -2 coal
- Salt
INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA MARINATION:
- 500 kg boneless chicken
- 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tbsp tandoori masala
- 1/4 cup curd
- 1 tbsp lemon
- 1/4 tsp garam masala powder
- 1/4 tsp cumin powder
- Salt to taste
- 1-2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp red chilly powder
- Pinch of red food colour ( optional )
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA
- Clean , wash and chop chicken boneless into 1.5 inch thick pieces (make few slits on each pieces if your pieces are bigger like we get in restaurants ) and marinate them with salt , ginger garlic paste, curd , garam masala, tandoori masala , red chilly powder , oil , lemon juice , cumin powder and food color ( optional ) for few hours , I mostly marinate them a night before preparing biryani and refrigerate them.
- In a fry pan add 2 tbsp butter and fry the marinated chicken pieces for about 3-4 minutes , flip and fry the other side too until done . ( note : this frying shall not take more than 10 -15 minutes ) OR
- Alternatively you can grill the chicken pieces in oven too , weave the chicken pieces on skewers and grill them in pre heat oven at 180 degree C for 20 minutes or until done . Make sure you keep an oven tray beneath so that the masala that drips will be later added to the gravy . Grill the chicken pieces for 10 minutes , bast with butter , flip and grill the other side too until slightly charred and done. ( my oven has a rotary system so I just baste the pieces at few intervals )
- Heat the coal on gas . In a pot add all the chicken pieces and once the coal is red hot , place it in between the chicken pieces on a small piece of foil or small steel bowl , add 1 tbsp oil or butter on the coal and cover immediately , this step will give a smoky flavour to the chicken pieces . After sometime discard the coal and keep the chicken pieces aside.
- If you have prepared the chicken tikkas in pan instead of oven, after you give smoke to the tikkas , weave only the chicken pieces on skewers , baste with butter and directly grill them from all over to give charred effect . Preserve the gravy or you can say marinade for further use .
PREPARATION OF GRAVY :
- Side by side boil whole tomatoes for about 5-8 minutes, once they cool down drain and remove the skin of all the tomatoes and blend in food processor with cashews to a fine paste and keep aside.
- Now in a pan drizzle some oil / ghee , add pepper corns , cloves , stick cinnamon , green cardamon and bay leaves , let it splutter.
- Add chopped onions and fry until they turn golden in colour.
- Add ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell disappears.
- Now add tomato cashew paste and cook for 5-7 minutes on low flame .
- Add salt , red chilly powder and coriander powder and cook on low flame until the oil separates.
- Add the chicken tikka pieces and the remaining gravy . ( the one which you preserved while preparing tikkas )
- Add garam masala powder , sugar and crushed kasoori methi , mix well and cook for a minute or two.
- Add 1 cup of water and cook for more 5-8 minutes or until the whole gravy thickens up. Add fresh cream , mix well and adjust salt , sugar and other spices if necessary . Turn off the gas.
- Heat the coal on gas , once the coal is red hot , keep it on a small piece of foil or small steel bowl , place the foil / small bowl in the middle of the gravy and add 1 tbsp oil or butter on the coal and cover immediately , this step will give a smoky flavour to the CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA GRAVY. ( this step is optional )
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with lachedar paranthas/ tandoori Naan or buttery jeera rice.
- Increase or decrease the red chilly powder as per your preferences.
- Adding of food colour is optional , so if you do not wish to add you can skip it.
- I did not add food colour in my gravy , but if you want you can add it.
- You can skip fresh cream if you do not wish to add it.
- Doing coal tempering ( dungar ) adds a smokey flavour to the gravy , but if you do not wish to do it , then skip it.
COURSE : Main Course .
COOKING TIME : Approximately 1 hour.
PREPARATION TIME : 10 -15 Minutes.
SERVES : 4-5 Persons.