Topic: CA's Chicken Tikka Masala Phal

[Cory Ander]

CA's Chicken Tikka Masala Phal (chicken tikka in a very hot, sweet, creamy, coconutty, rich red sauce)

serves 2

Ingredients:

- 300g pre-cooked chicken tikka (here:  http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1555.0)
- 75 ml spiced oil (here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3295.msg34667#msg34667)
- 1 tsp fresh garlic (pureed)
- 0.5 tsp fresh ginger (pureed)
- 1 tbsp tandoori masala (here:  http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=1514.0)
- 1 tsp curry masala (here:  http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3765.0)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (diluted with 3 tbsp water)
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp hot (e.g. bird's eys or habenero) chillies (minced)
- 200ml curry base (here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3772.0)
- 6 tbsp coconut milk powder
- 2 tbsp fine desiccated coconut
- 2 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
- 0.5 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 100ml fresh single cream
- milk (as required)
- 1 tsp lemon juice - optional
- 1tbsp almond meal (or cashew meal) - optional
- fresh chopped coriander - optional
- 1 tbsp butter ghee - optional

Method:

- Stir the coconut milk powder and desiccated coconut (and almond meal or cashew meal, if using), into the cream, to make a lump-free paste
- Heat the curry base to a gentle simmer
- Heat the oil in a suitable pan (I use a cast iron wok)
- Add the garlic, ginger and fresh chillies and fry, for a minute or so, with continuous stirring (do not burn!)
- Remove from heat and add tandoori masala, curry masala and chili powder
- Immediately add tomato puree, stirring continuously
- Add a ladle of curry base and stir
- Add precooked chicken
- Continue to add the curry base, a little at a time, stirring occasionally as the water evaporates and the sauce thickens
- Continue to simmer, on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the oil begins to separate (5 to 10 minutes)
- Add the coconut meal/cream paste, sugar, salt and lemon juice (if using) and stir
- Maintain the sauce to the desired consistency by adding a little milk (or cream)
- Add butter ghee and continue to cook until melted and blended into the sauce
- Add fresh coriander to taste (if using)
- Serve

Notes:

- You can use any other oil (e.g. vegetable oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, ghee) rather than spiced oil, if you prefer, but the result may be different
- You can use any other decent, mildly spiced, curry base, if you prefer, but the result may be different
- You can use any other precooked meat (or prawns) - just add it, after adding the first ladle of curry base, and make sure it is heated thoroughly
- To make a Chicken Tikka Vindaloo, reduce or omit the fresh chillies
- To make a Chicken Tikka Madras, omit the fresh chillies and reduce the amount of chili powder to 1 tsp

Here is a photo of the resultant Chicken Tikka Masala Phal:

[joshallen2k]

Great stuff CA. I've actually never had a hot CTM, but since I love both styles of curry - I will have to try this at some point.

I was about to call you out on the 2 tsp of chilli powder being nowhere near enough for a Phal... then I noticed the very next line was 1 tbsp of minced habaneros  ;D

[Ramirez]

I'm definitely going to give this a try.

One question: where does the desiccated coconut fit in here? You don't mention it in the instructions.

[Cory Ander]

where does the desiccated coconut fit in here? You don't mention it in the instructions.

Well spotted, I've amended the recipe.

[Ramirez]

Well spotted, I've amended the recipe.

Nice one!

This was lovely by the way. Thanks for the recipe CA!

[Cory Ander]

Well spotted, I've amended the recipe.

This was lovely by the way. Thanks for the recipe CA!

Thanks Ramirez; this is certainly one of my favourites 

[mmmcurry]

tried this the other night, and have to say it was lovely. Ive never been brave enough to try a phal from a BIR so i cant compare taste, but it was fantastic. Good work CA and thanks for sharing the recipie!

[missy]

Hi CA

That recipe looks amazing so I'm definitely gonna give it a try asap. I'm in Thailand and some of the ingredients you use aren't as easy to find over here. You use 6 tbsp of coconut milk powder. Can I just simply use 6 tbsp of real coconut milk instead? And, I don't think finding the  habenero peppers will be so easy to find unfortunately (but I will try), and the Thai chillies aren't all that hot and I think it makes the curry to hot on the lips unlike curries I've eaten in the UK. What do you think I should do about making it spicy, just double the amount of chillies if I use Thai ones?  And I have been using whipped cream in my kormas and CTM's because i can't find single cream here. Do you think that's ok?

Regards

Phil

[Cory Ander]

tried this the other night, and have to say it was lovely. Ive never been brave enough to try a phal from a BIR so i cant compare taste, but it was fantastic. Good work CA and thanks for sharing the recipie!

You're welcome MC, I'm glad you liked it 

[Cory Ander]

Hi Phil,

Thanks for your interest.  You can also find a variant (similar to this) here:  http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4030.0

That one doesn't have coconut milk powder in it so it might solve one of your issues?

Nonetheless:

You use 6 tbsp of coconut milk powder. Can I just simply use 6 tbsp of real coconut milk instead?

You could do that but you will find that the coconut milk with thin, rather than thicken, the sauce (which may not be a problem for you?).

I think you'd be better off either increasing (e.g. doubling or trebling) the amount of (fine milled) desiccated coconut (i.e. coconut "flour"), or using some (e.g. 50g or so) of creamed coconut block (i.e. the solid stuff), or using coconut cream (i.e. the thick liquid stuff) instead of coconut milk ....or a combination of them all.

I don't think finding the  habenero peppers will be so easy.....the Thai chillies aren't all that hot....What do you think I should do about making it spicy

I would try and find some hot chillies (they are only there for piquancy).  Failing that, I would try and find some hot dried chillies.  Failing that, I would increase the amount of HOT chili powder (say double or treble the quantity).  Or a combination of the above.

I'm surprised to hear you can't easily get hot chillies in Thailand though?

And I have been using whipped cream in my kormas and CTM's because i can't find single cream here. Do you think that's ok?

I don't see any problem with that.  I also often use it cos it's cheaper 

Hope that helps?