Chicken Tikka Masala

This next dish is officially a North Indian delicacy. However I tried to have a food fusion of sorts over here. So while the usual accomplice for this creamy thick tomato based gravy would be naan/roti & even plain rice, in my experiment I have made puttu (steamed rice cakes) to go along.

Ingredients

For marination

• 1 kg chicken
• 4 tsp. ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp. Pepper powder
• 2 tbsp. Kashmiri chilli powder
• Salt a pinch
• 4 tbsp. yogurt

For the gravy

• 2 tbsp. veg oil
• 1 cinnamon bark
• 2 cloves
• 2-3 peppercorns
• 2 cardamom pods
• 2-3 green chillies spit (or more)
• 2 tsp. tomato paste
• 4-5 tomatoes finely chopped
• 2 tsp. garam masala
• 1 tsp. Kashmiri chilli powder(or more)
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 1-2 cups of water(or more)
• 1 tbsp. kasori methi leaves
• 2 -3 tbsp. fresh cream
• Coriander leaves to garnish

Marinate the chicken for 2 hours or more (or overnight in the fridge).

In a non-stick deep bottom pan, add 2-3 tbsp. oil and fry chicken pieces until brown patch on both sides.

Or you can grill them .Brush some oil on both sides and cook till charred on both sides.

Keep them aside.

Clean the pan and add veg oil on a medium flame. When hot, add all the spices and sauté for about a minute. Add chillies and ginger garlic paste. (Be careful the paste will splutter). Add garam masala powder and chilli powder and sauté for a while. Sprinkle some water if it’s getting dry.

Add tomato paste and sauté for about 3-4 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and 1 ½ cups of water. Add chicken stock cube; cover and cook till the tomatoes are done. This will take 10- 15 minutes.

Turn of the heat and let the gravy cool. Grind them into a paste.

Transfer the paste into the same pan and heat it again. Add 1 cup of water and bring to boil. Add chicken pieces and kasori methi leaves. Cover and cook for about 10- 15 minutes. The gravy will get thicker.

Add cream and stir for a minute. Check for salt and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve it hot with naan/roti/plain rice