Topic: Coogans Chicken Tikka Masala - Madras Hot to die for.

[coogan]

Chicken Tikka Masala - Madras hot.

Enough for twelve portions.

If you do not want this dish madras strength in heat just emit the fresh chillies from the base sauce or if you want it hotter add more.

Tikka

Cut 3 kilo chicken into 1.5 inch pieces and put into a large bowl. Then add two tablespoons of salt and the juice from to large lemons. Give the whole lot a good mix, cover and then leave for about 20 mins whilst you prepare the marinade.

Marinade

500mls Yoghurt                                   
2 inch ginger peeled and chopped         
3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped       
2 tbsp ready made mint sauce in vinegar (any brand)
1 tbsp ground cumin                                 
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp cayenne
2 tbsp garam masala (fresh home made)
2 tbsp tumeric

Place the whole lot into a blender blitz until smooth mix with your prepared chicken pieces cover and leave to marinate for 24 hours.

Rinse of the excess marinade mixture from chicken and pat dry with kitchen paper. Load the chicken pieces on to skewers, brush with mustard oil, dust with garam masala and cook in a tandoor oven for 6-8 mins..

[coogan]

Base Sauce

1 kilo sliced onions
50g each finely grated peeled ginger and garlic
3 pints water
1tsp salt
500g tomato passata
8 tbsp oil
1tsp tandoori masala - TRS brand.
1tsp turmeric
1tsp paprika
Stalks from Large bunch of coriander
100g chopped green hot chillies

Simmer the onions in the boiled water for 40 mins. Fry garlic and ginger in hot oil until browned, add and bhuna the spices for 30 secs then add the passata and fry on for ten mins.  Add to the onion mix plus the salt, coriander stalks, chillies and cook on for five mins. Then blend bring back to the boil and simmer for another 20 mins skimming of any scum that accumulates.

[coogan]

Masala Sauce.

2 x 500g cartons of tomato passata
10 tbsp oil
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
1 tbsp black cumin seeds
500mls Yoghurt
10 tbsp ground almonds
15 tbsp coconut powder - not coconut milk powder.
2 tbsp mango powder
4 tbsp clear honey
2 tbsp black pepper
4 tbsp freshly made garam masala
600mls of coconut cream milk - 6 teaspoons coconut milk powder mixed with 450mls warm water and 150mls of single cream.
1 tsp beetroot powder
4 tbsp rubbed methi leaves
Handful of chopped fresh coriander.

Spice Mix
3 tbsp tandoori masala - TRS brand
3 tbsp bassar curry masala
1 tbsp chat masala
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne.

Add 1 500g carton tomato passata to the base sauce and bring to a simmer in a large pan. In another pan heat the oil until smoking hot. Add the fenugreek, black mustard and black cumin seeds for ten seconds until popped. Add and bhuna the spice mix for 30 secs then add the other 500g of tomato passata and fry for ten mins, gradually mix in the yoghurt until well incorporated, then add the whole lot to the base mix.   

Add all of the remaining ingredients bring back to a slow simmer. Salt to taste and leave to tick over quietly for an hour or so. Check the consistency of the sauce and add some boiling water if necessary - I needed to add about a pint. Add to the freshly cooked tikka and serve garnished with fresh coriander and chillies.

Bon jovi

[gazman1976]

where u from coogan? just to get a feel for your indian food?

[coogan]

Tricky question!

[976bar]

Hi Coogan,

How much Masala sauce does this actually make? It seems a lot of ingredients for 1 or 2 dishes....

[coogan]

Hello,

it makes enough sauce for twelve healthy portions. Probably about 4-5 pints in total.

[976bar]

I guess I could make a big batch, then freeze the sauce and use it when I need it. I only tend to use about 3 portions in any one go.

I think I'll give this a try the weekend, I have some Tikka marinating in the fridge, and although I already have a good CTM sauce, it's still not quite there, so this will be looking forward to trying this.

What is you're background to cooking Indian, that's a fairly comprehensive recipe

[coogan]

Hello 976bar,

Please do try the recipe it works well for me but it will be madras hot with the chillies added to the base so if you do not like your CTM that hot don't add them! I look forward to your thoughts on the results. It freezes OK.

Indian cooking background - Self taught with the help of KD, Madhur, Charmaine, 25 years of trial and error, a nipoori oven, a true love to recreate both BIR dishes /traditional, and most recently the great info that I have picked up from this site.

Bon jovi

[Onions]

Indian cooking background - Self taught with the help of KD, Madhur, Charmaine, 25 years of trial and error, a nipoori oven, a true love to recreate both BIR dishes /traditional, and most recently the great info that I have picked up from this site.

Bon jovi

That sounds like the recipe for success!!! Good health!