Topic: Chicken Tikka

[Curry King]

Hi All,

I made this at the weekend, I used the recipe from one of the ebay ebooks I boght a while ago.? It was very nice but not authentic, it was basicly tandoori chicken due to the tandoori patak paste, I assume if you make the full CTM then it wouldn't make so much difference.

I cooked it slightly different from the recipe, I cooked it at the top of the oven completely covered in foil for about 15\20mins and then finished it of in an electric low fat grill.? It cooked it just about right, slightly charred on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside, nice? ?

Heres the recipe for the Tikka I will post the whole CTM to the ebook group:

Chicken Tikka (Serves 4)
This is the recipe for making the chicken part of the dish, it is added pre cooked at a
late stage in the recipe for CTM.
The secret to good chicken tikka is in the marinade
Mix 4 heaped TBSP of natural yoghurt, 1 Tsp lemon juice with 1 heaped TBSP of
Pataks Tandoori paste (My local Indian grocer supplies a lot of local restaurants and
he tells me they all use this, if you cant get Pataks then any tandoori paste or spices
will be fine).
Ever wonder how the Indian restaurants get their CTM that rich red colour, well im
afraid it is done via the use of food colourings, the same goes for the chicken tikka.
If you want the chicken tikka that authentic reddy/orange colour then you can add a
pinch each of red and yellow food colouring at this stage to the marinade (if you cant
get powered food colourings using the liquid supercook type ones is fine, one drop of
each)
Now cut 4 chicken breasts into 6 chunks each and coat in the marinade, this should
now be left in the fridge for a minimum of 24 hours and ideally 48. The yoghurt acts
as a meat tenderiser.
To cook the chicken tikka an Indian restaurant would use a tandoor, obviously most
of us don?t have a tandoor at home but you can use a conventional oven instead. Put
the oven to its hottest temperature and cook the chicken at the very top of the oven.
You can place the chicken on a grill pan to cook, but personally I like to put it on
skewers and suspend it over a baking tray.
Cooking time varies depending on exactly how hot you can get your oven, the
quickest the chicken could cook is ~10 minutes, the longest 15. I suggest you put it in
for 10 minutes then take a quick peep; the top of the chicken should just be going
slightly black.
Test the chicken by cutting a piece in half; it should be white all the way through.

[Srikanth Chippa]

Cut the chicken into cubes
Mix all of the ingredients together. Let the chicken marinate for 3-4 hours.
When it's ready to go, heat up the grill and grill the chicken on skewers.
While they're grilling, take 1/2 cup of the marinade and put it in a small saute pan.
Before heating it, mix in 1/4 tsp corn starch.
Heat the sauce until it thickens and then let it bubble for a while. Set that aside until the chicken is done.

[976bar]

If you are making Tikka, then why use Tandoori paste and not Pataks Tikka paste in you're marinade?

Here is the method I use with great results.

Chicken Tikka
Ingredients
600g Chicken - 4 or 5 breasts
1 heaped tablespoon Pataks tikka curry paste 
1 heaped tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
2 tablespoons lemon juice (Jiff is ok)
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 desert spoon spice mixture (equal parts ground coriander, turmeric, garam masala, curry powder). I use this same mix for my curries.
1/4 tsp Orange food colouring (If powder just a sprinkle)
1 level tsp methi
1 level tsp salt
2 tablespoons veg oil
3 tablespoons water

Method
1. Chop the chicken breasts into 2 or 3 pieces each
2. Mix in 2 tablespoons lemon juice to the chopped chicken, leave for 15 mins
3. Meanwhile mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl
4. Add the runny spice mixture to the chicken, cover and leave in fridge for 2 hours minimum.

I then just cook off in a pan or under the grill.

[Secret Santa]

If you are making Tikka, then why use Tandoori paste and not Pataks Tikka paste in you're marinade?

Because I don't want to be tied down to a product that can...and will...change over time.

Because I can make a better tandoori/tikka paste from raw ingredients (see CA's tikka recipe)

Because I don't think we should promote Pataks products. They are a quick fix and, in general, bear no relation to anything BIR.

[Curry Barking Mad]

Because I don't think we should promote Pataks products. They are a quick fix and, in general, bear no relation to anything BIR.
[/quote]


I have never seen Pataks products used in the curries or the garabi but of the several kitchens I have been into over the years, they have all used Pataks Tikka, Tandoori, Kashmiri Masala pastes in their Tikka and Tandoori marinades and Pataks Madras/Kebab paste in their Sheek Kebabs, so there is and has been a place in BIR,
I'm not promoting the products, just saying that I have seen them used,

[976bar]

Whether it is right or wrong, I agree, we shouldn't have to rely on manufaturer's products off the shelf, we should be able to produce that classic BIR taste at home from natural ingredients.....

Thats why we are all here, to promote our findings and help each other.

Why is it so difficult to get the blends for a superb BIR curry? I am sure if they wanted a superb recipe for Steak and Chips, some blighty would gladly give it to them!!!

Why the secrecy?......

[Curry Barking Mad]

Whether it is right or wrong, I agree, we shouldn't have to rely on manufaturer's products off the shelf, we should be able to produce that classic BIR taste at home from natural ingredients.....

Thats why we are all here, to promote our findings and help each other.

Interesting point, define classic BIR taste for me,
I have loved the taste of Tikka and Tandoori meats since the 70's and the use of these pastes is widespread and gives the taste that I enjoy, I have tried to make marinades that produce the same taste but have not come close unless I use these pastes,
Certainly in Tikka and Tandoori meat dishes this is the classic BIR taste for me,
So why not rely on off the shelf products if thats what the chefs are using in the BIR kitchen,
Bob

[976bar]

Achmal,

Do you see your local Indian restaurant using these? I've visited quite a few in my years and have never seen a jar of Pataks on their shelves....have you ever found one that does??....

[Curry Barking Mad]

Achmal,

Do you see your local Indian restaurant using these? I've visited quite a few in my years and have never seen a jar of Pataks on their shelves....have you ever found one that does??....

I refer you to a previous post of mine in this thread.....

I'm not here to argue with you but I have seen the big plastic containers of Tikka Paste, Tandoori Paste and Kashmiri Masala Paste and Madras/Kebab Paste, but as I have seen them I will tell you I have seen them,

[haldi]

Do you see your local Indian restaurant using these? I've visited quite a few in my years and have never seen a jar of Pataks on their shelves....have you ever found one that does??....

Every BIR kitchen, I have visited, use the three pastes
Tandoori, Tikka & Kashmiri masala
Only one takeaway didn't use Pataks
They all use powdered food colourings as well
Red, Orange and green
Red and orange for tandoori & tikka
Green goes into rice (as well as the red & orange)
They want the cheapest and easiest way, to make their cooking
And this is it
Actually, there is another paste, I have seen used
Balti paste (made by Pataks again)
A teaspoon of this goes into (surprise surprise) any balti dish