Chicken Tikka Masala

[JerryM]

i put the 2 method cooking to the test last night.

i made a 976bar kashmiri as my "CTM". i left out the onion but used fine chopped garlic. i chucked everything in at the start and just let it cook.

it tasted almost as good as it normally does but i am pretty much sure it would be short if compared side by side with my norm 3 stage cooking approach. the garlic was slightly undercooked and more like the garlic bread taste which i don't like in a curry. i also hardly got any smoke which for me is no good. the all in method would not work if onion is being added (unless pre cooked). i guess the onion and garlic / paste are the reasons for the 2 methods.

i concluded in CTM and related dishes the "all in" approach works just as good.

[Derek Dansak]

Jerry, what ctm recipe and extra tweaks do you endorse. i am sure the info from you and josh , would be more than enough to satisfy my cravings ! i will post my results in a month. might try to get some info from my chef also

[JerryM]

DD,

i've only made CK's - it hit the spot with the family and we've stuck with it. Secret Santa got me into using coconut flour. i now make 2 version's one with the block for my lad (u have to cut into small chunks, i think i'm even going to try grating - to speed up the melting) and the other for me and the good lady. the coconut flour is authentic BIR whilst the block isn't but it does taste good all the same.

i think i've posted how i use CK's in CK's post but add here for convenience (1 portion): oil 2 tbsp, 1 tbsp fine garlic (2 cloves), tom puree 1 tbsp (in water), LB spice mix 1 tsp, Leena Tandoori Masala powder 1.5 tbsp, base 300ml, carnation 2 tbsp, cream coconut 50g (or 3 to 4 tbsp flour), chopped coriander 1 tbsp, tikka marinade (CA's) 2 tbsp. i don't use onion paste for this recipe. if i use the flour i add 100 ml of water. i also use the ashoka garlic/ginger paste when i have it in place of the chopped garlic (i still can't decide which i like best)

i quite often make a 3 or 4 potion in my wok. i just pro rata up the ingredients.

[joshallen2k]

Yes -- good point Jerry - I too have moved from Coco block to Coco powder - for purely BIR authenticity reasons.

Jerry - I think a tbsp of Garlic is too much, in a CTM anyway. I'd also think 1.5 tbsp of tandoori masala is too much. For me the miss on CTM isnt in the spicing, more in the sweet/creamy department.

[Cory Ander]

I think it is reasonably clear (from reports from actual BIRs) that the basics of a typical BIR Chicken Tikka Masala are:

• A decent, mildly spiced, curry base*
• Tandoori pastes and/or masala
• Tomato paste (perhaps)
• Precooked chicken tikka
• Coconut powder (lots of)
• Some almond powder (perhaps)
• Sugar (lots of)
• Single cream (lots of)

*I think SnS's would be a good base for a CTM, because of the tomatoes, or the Ashoka, because of the coconut and margarine (i.e. it's inherent creaminess)

For me the miss on CTM isnt in the spicing, more in the sweet/creamy department

I agree Josh, hence the multitude of "options" (e.g. evaporated milk, condensed milk, creamed coconut block, tomato sauce, etc) that I've included in my CTM recipe.  However, I reckon most BIRs are unlikely to use much more than the above as main ingredients.

[Derek Dansak]

Hi all,  from a quick demo at my local last night, they use lots of watered down tomato puree , (1 chef spoon, or more ), lots of almond, lots of cocnut powder. it was hard to see if he added spice mix, (i think so) . the rest was a blur as it was so dam quick. i will try to demo this again next visit. i think the base was half the amount used for madras. about 2 ladels approx 150 ml, i guess.  of course it also had the missing 5 percent taste , and was dreamy. 

[chriswg]

For the watered down tomato puree, check out KTC Tomato Paste (double concentrated). I'm pretty sure that is what the BIR's use. I found a big tin of it in Bookers cash and carry today.

[joshallen2k]

I think it is reasonably clear (from reports from actual BIRs) that the basics of a typical BIR Chicken Tikka Masala are:

A decent, mildly spiced, curry base*
Tandoori pastes and/or masala
Tomato paste (perhaps)
Precooked chicken tikka
Coconut powder (lots of)
Some almond powder (perhaps)
Sugar (lots of)
Single cream (lots of)

*I think SnS's would be a good base for a CTM, because of the tomatoes, or the Ashoka, because of the coconut and margarine (i.e. it's inherent creaminess)

Quote from: josh
For me the miss on CTM isnt in the spicing, more in the sweet/creamy department

I agree Josh, hence the multitude of "options" (e.g. evaporated milk, condensed milk, creamed coconut block, tomato sauce, etc) that I've included in my CTM recipe.  However, I reckon most BIRs are unlikely to use much more than the above as main ingredients.

One ingredient you missed there, which has become my ingredient of focus to figure this CTM thing out -- yogurt (unless you included it in the list as masala)

The CBM video CTM uses a LOT of it. I've always had trouble justifying a sour ingredient like yogurt in a sweet dish. But it seems to work to a degree.

Maybe there's some science in "what becomes of the yogurt" after the rapid boil. Not sure...

-- Josh

[Cory Ander]

One ingredient you missed there, which has become my ingredient of focus to figure this CTM thing out -- yogurt

Yes, I noticed all that yoghurt in CBM's video.  I have my doubts about it and seldom use it (for the reasons you give).  That's why I didn't include it (I haven't seen it mentioned in many other reports)

However, I have yet to try CBM's recipe, but I intend to soon.

By "masala", I meant a blend of tandoori/tikka spices in either a powdered or paste form. 

"Red masala" often crops up (and is often observed), which seems to be a mixture of these spices with the coconut powder, cream, (maybe yoghurt?), etc.

[Derek Dansak]

Hi ca, i intend on doing a comparison this weekend between cbm ctm , and your CA ctm. when i have finished making love to the 9 - 5 job, the battle will commence !