Tonights Dinner / Chicken Tikka Masala
Posted on Monday, March 30th, 2009
- 3 chicken breasts
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 5 cardamom pods
- a 5cm cinnamon stick
- 1 ½ onions
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ to 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 large tomato
- 1 tsp tomato purée
- 5 fl oz water
- Salt to taste
- Yogurt
- Fresh coriander to garnish
First of all, chop up the tomato finely and set aside for later use. Next, finely chop the onions and set aside. Finally, cube the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces, season with a little salt and also put to one side.
Put the oil into a pan over a medium heat. When hot, add the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick, leave for a few seconds and then remove. This flavours the oil, giving it a wonderful aroma. Add the onions and cook while stirring, until brown.
Add the masala paste and stir for a minute.
Add the tomato and tomato purée and stir for a minute till thoroughly combined.
Pour in the water and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly.
Taste the sauce and season with salt if necessary.
Add the chicken cubes and mix well into the masala. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the chicken is cooked and tender. Check this by piercing the chicken with a sharp knife – if it goes straight through and comes out clean, it is done. For a weaker curry flavour, add either 1 small tin of coconut milk or 1 medium sized carton of yogurt. Mix well and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Step 7: Garnish and serve
Place the chicken on a serving dish, decorate with coriander leaves and serve.
Categorized as Cooking
