If you think that in English-speaking countries the most famous and favorite dish is fish and chips, then you are deeply mistaken. According to statistics, most English consider the Chicken Tikka Masala to be the most popular. The recipe for this dish impresses with its simplicity, despite the exquisite name and the controversial history of origin. Some chefs believe that India is the birthplace of the dish, because in the preparation so many ingredients typical for Indian cuisine are used. Others are sure that this is a purely English dish and invented it many years ago in England.
We will not understand today which of the chefs is right and whose recipe is actually authentic. We just cook today chiken tikka masala and enjoy its amazingly delicate taste and unique aroma of oriental spices.
Cooking features
This dish is also surprising in that at the different stages of cooking you can get two completely different dishes. In the first step, the chicken is pickled, and then baked in the oven. There will be a popular tikka chicken. Masala is obtained in the second stage, when the already fried chicken is stewed in a special creamy sauce.
With any recipe, the chicken is completely dry, but rather very tender, tasty, aromatic and satisfying. An incredibly light and spicy sauce that perfectly combines with the smell of the oven, which is stored in meat for a long time, will add piquancy to the dish.
Served tikka masala with rice or special cakes called naan. They are somewhat reminiscent of the usual pita bread, but differ slightly in taste and composition. By the way, we will also prepare them today so that the serving of the dish also matches the classic recipe.
Ingredients
The main thing, of course, is the chicken. For cooking, you can take both the already chopped breast fillet (6 pcs.) And the usual chicken breast (3 pcs.), Which you will already get rid of bones and skin at home.
For pickling it is necessary
- White nonfat yogurt. Natural. Without fruit and any other additives - 1 cup.
- Lemon juice - 1 tbsp. the spoon.
- Salt is half a teaspoon.
- Fresh ginger is a slice about three centimeters long.
- Ready-made spices called garam masala. For self-preparation of a fragrant “set” you will need half a teaspoon of black pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper and ground cinnamon.
Tikka masala sauce consists
- Hot chili peppers - 1 pc.
- Two cloves of garlic.
- 2 tbsp. tablespoons of vegetable oil (if you follow in the footsteps of Indian chefs, you can use ghee).
- A quarter teaspoon ground paprika.
- As many zira.
- One large glass (250-300 ml.) Of fat cream.
- Tomato sauce - one can. Can be replaced with canned tomatoes in their own juice (without peels and seeds).
As we said, most often tikka masala is served with special cakes. To prepare them, the following ingredients are required:
- 0.5 cups of milk.
- As much warm water.
- Half a teaspoon of salt.
- A pinch of granulated sugar.
- Dry yeast.
- Chicken Egg - 1 pc.
- A pair of garlic cloves.
- Flour - 400 g.
- 40 g butter.
Step one. Marinade
Ginger must be peeled, grated or chopped with a blender. Add lemon juice, spices and natural yogurt to ginger. Chicken fillet will be marinated in this mixture. It should be cut into thin and small squares. The approximate thickness is about 2 cm. The chicken cubes are placed in the marinade so that they are completely covered with liquid. The future chicken tikka masala is marinated for an hour. Experienced housewives say that the meat will turn out softer and juicier if the fillet lies in the marinade overnight or a whole day.
Step Two Roasting
Having removed the chicken pieces from the marinade, we lay them on a baking sheet covered with foil. Of course, the traditional tikka masala is cooked on wooden skewers in a special oven. However, not all housewives have this opportunity, so a simplified option is to use a conventional grill located in the oven.
Turn on the grill for fifteen minutes. This time will be quite enough for an appetizing brown-golden crust to appear on the chicken pieces. In the process, the fillet can be turned several times so that the roast and blush are uniform.
Step Three Sauce
For cooking, you will need a food processor or a blender. In a bowl we place tomatoes (or tomato sauce). They need to be crushed well, turning into a homogeneous mass.
Put a piece of butter in a deep pan. Turn on medium heat. Chop the garlic finely, and cut the hot chili peppers into small circles. Fry these two products in no more than one minute. Do not forget to constantly stir so that there are no prigarin. Then add spices and tomato emulsion. After a couple of minutes, pour the cream. Bringing the sauce to a boil, immediately remove the heat to a minimum. Stew for ten minutes.
We take out the chicken fillet from the oven. We shift the pieces into the sauce. Do not forget to try the sauce in the process. If necessary, add salt or pepper. To reach readiness, the chicken will need another five to seven minutes.
Step Four Scones
Mix all of the above ingredients for the dough. You can use a bread machine to proof the dough. This will simplify the process and save time. From the total test mass we form small balls. Roll out a thin layer from each ball. Place it on a dry hot frying pan. Fry on each side for one minute.
Tikka masala chicken will be best served with tortillas and white rice. The recipe, which pleases, allows you to cook several positions at the same time. The total cooking time will not be more than 30 minutes. And this is a huge plus for the dish, especially if it is conceived as a highlight for serving unexpected guests.