World Spice Merchants : Recipes : Tikka Masala

"Tikki Masala" refers to both a popular dish and the spice blend used to season the dish but it isn't originally from India. A child of the Raj, it was created in England by Bengali chefs to appeal to the British palate and they seem to have been wildly successful. Tikki Masala is so ubiquitous in Britain there are some who would pit it against Yorkshire Pudding or Fish and Chips as the national dish. Try our version of Tikki Masala to see what all the fuss is about.

3 lbs. boneless chicken breasts or thighs
2 cups yogurt
2 tsp. turmeric
3 Tbsp. Tikka Masala spice
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup chopped onion
4 Tbsp. butter
1# fresh chopped tomatoes 1.5 cups tomato puree
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. ginger paste
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 Tbsp.sea salt
1 Tbsp. honey

Cube the chicken and set aside in a bowl. Stir together the yogurt, spices and lemon juice and pour over the chicken. Stir to coat and marinate overnight.

Melt the butter in a large skillet and saute onion until transluscent. Add the chicken (lots of the yogurt will come along and that's okay) and saute over medium-high heat until lightly browned on both sides. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken to a 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle with half the sea salt. Reserve the marinade seperately.

To make the tomato sauce, mix together the remaining ingredients and cook in the skillet over low heat, about 5 minutes. (Don't forget the other half of the sea salt!) Pour the tomato sauce over the chicken and then pour 1 cup of the reserved marinade over the top.:

Bake at 350F approximately 30 minutes until cooked through. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives.

Enjoy!!!