Topic: Chicken Tikka Masala

[JerryM]

Josh,

this i think is the video u refer to Indian Restaurant Chicken Tikka Masala

the recipe looks real good and certainly likely to be BIR or thereabouts. for me i'm not keen on the use of pataks.

what i was getting at is that given u are still looking for something to get the dish right then we need to pinpoint what this is. the same but different "something" probably applies to quite a few members give the dishes popularity.

what i was seeking was for members to post what they feel is important or key in getting the best CTM result.

for example these being my own:
1) decide if u prefer coconut block or coconut flour (i make both versions and they are very different)
2) what do BIR's use to get the creaminess. do they use milk for example as even single cream is expensive. i use evaporated milk as i always have it to hand and works well although i've never tried cream. it's more expensive than cream but u don't need as much.
3) a little of the tikka marinade lifts the dish
4) what do BIR's do to get the masala part of it. i follow CK's method of frying the spices and tomato puree as i do for all curries. should we be converting this into a liquid masala first like the utube video. the CK method is quick and easy though. would it really make a difference
5) the u tube video adds the coconut flour and sugar before the base. i add after. does it really make a difference. i can't really see it.
6) the type of tandoori masala powder is crucial. it needs to be the pink variety not the dark red

if a good few of us put these sort of thought's down it might just give us a clearer picture of where improvement might lie.

it's quite ironic for me on this particular dish. it's the only dish that my family no longer request from the TA. i guess they moved up the Curry evolution ladder now having  preference for chef specialities. it (CK's) remains high on the regularly request list when i'm cooking at home though.
 

[976bar]

Josh,

this i think is the video u refer to Indian Restaurant Chicken Tikka Masala

the recipe looks real good and certainly likely to be BIR or thereabouts. for me i'm not keen on the use of pataks.

what i was getting at is that given u are still looking for something to get the dish right then we need to pinpoint what this is. the same but different "something" probably applies to quite a few members give the dishes popularity.

what i was seeking was for members to post what they feel is important or key in getting the best CTM result.

for example these being my own:
1) decide if u prefer coconut block or coconut flour (i make both versions and they are very different)
2) what do BIR's use to get the creaminess. do they use milk for example as even single cream is expensive. i use evaporated milk as i always have it to hand and works well although i've never tried cream. it's more expensive than cream but u don't need as much.
3) a little of the tikka marinade lifts the dish
4) what do BIR's do to get the masala part of it. i follow CK's method of frying the spices and tomato puree as i do for all curries. should we be converting this into a liquid masala first like the utube video. the CK method is quick and easy though. would it really make a difference
5) the u tube video adds the coconut flour and sugar before the base. i add after. does it really make a difference. i can't really see it.
6) the type of tandoori masala powder is crucial. it needs to be the pink variety not the dark red

if a good few of us put these sort of thought's down it might just give us a clearer picture of where improvement might lie.

it's quite ironic for me on this particular dish. it's the only dish that my family no longer request from the TA. i guess they moved up the Curry evolution ladder now having  preference for chef specialities. it (CK's) remains high on the regularly request list when i'm cooking at home though.

Hi Jerry,

Just watched that video. He puts up the list of ingredients for the masala paste and it lists 1 teaspoon of mixed powder. Any ideas what that might be? Or is that the 1/2 tsp garam masala and the 1/2 tsp salt?.............

[Cory Ander]

it lists 1 teaspoon of mixed powder. Any ideas what that might be?

It's "spice mix" (yet another concocted name for masala)

[976bar]

it lists 1 teaspoon of mixed powder. Any ideas what that might be?

It's "spice mix" (yet another concocted name for masala)

That'll be the secret ingredient that they don't give away then. I'll try the usual one I make from here.

[joshallen2k]

CA - did you read that "spice mix" as being tandoori masala, or standard turmeric/coriander/curry... like the BE mix?

-- Josh

[Cory Ander]

I read it as "mix powder" = "spice mix" = "coriander, cumin, tumeric, paprika, curry powder, and maybe chilli powder (plus minor ingredients, perhaps)' = "curry powder" = "masala"...

..but, I think in the context of this video, it's not tandoori masala

....I could be wrong! 

I'd just use the Bruce Edward's "Spice Mix", or similar.

[JerryM]

for what it's worth i (CK's) uses both spice mix and tandoori masala powder in the CTM.

the choice of both creates a vast range in the taste of the dish.

i've settled on a spice mix that has no curry powder (LB - using coriander, cumin, paprika) and the pink variety of tandoori masala (Leena brand or equivalent).

these spices are at the heart of the dish.

[joshallen2k]

Jerry, maybe part of my problem is that I may have crap tandoori masala. None of the common / known-good brands that others have mentioned seem be sold where I live. Once as an experiment I bought four different brands of "tandoori masala" and made four masala sauces. The variation was huge.

That said one of the things that I liked about the Youtube CTM was that the tandoori masala in that one obviously comes from the Patak's in the red masala. SO at least I know I'm getting this one right.

-- Josh

[currymonster]

I made this one last night and it was very nice. As the guy said in the video 'its as good as most and better than some'. I also marinated and grilled some chicken breasts with the Red Masala Paste but I don't think that was as nice as Blades Tikka. This gets me thinking that it could be improved if I concocted a Masala Paste based on Blades Tikka recipe.

[Cory Ander]

I've never seen a chicken tikka masala cooked in a BIR.  CBM states, in his video, that "this is my take" (i.e. interpretation?)  on one.

Does anyone who has seen one prepared know if first dry frying (i.e. using no oil) coconut powder and sugar is normal BIR practice for making a chicken tikka masala?

I saw this video a while ago but, like Jerry, I was put off making it by the use of Pataks pastes (I use tandoori masala), though I don't doubt that many BIRs will be using Pataks pastes to make their CTM. 

I guess I'm going to have to give this a go....