Topic: Chicken Tikka - better than the BIRs

[gazman1976]

Hi Gazman

I have various Laziza pastes and use thes in lieu of Pataks but other than that follow the recipes for everything else and it makes superb tikka! Laziza is the preferred stuff in my house, i get it in rusholme when passing and is only about a quid a jar for tikka, tikka boti and tandoori!

Ed

so u make the same recipe but instead of using pataks you use the one I said? try it the way I said instead of all of the messing about with all the other ingredients, its amazing on its own with a little yoghurt

[ELW]

Laziza pastes are pretty good, but as with Pataks I find they need to be diluted.
 I use less yogurt & more milk to do this & cut the bitterness out. This also stops you getting a grainy curdled texture
that the bir tandoor seems better at dealing with than a domestic oven imo.

Whether blades recipe is a tikka or tandoori marinade, cooked at home its not better than any bir I use.
Only cooking in a tandoor would test it properly

[haldi]

its not better than any bir I use.

I don't think it's better
It's just different
BIR  tikka has a subtlety, which has it's place
Blades recipe is very similar to what I make at home, with my tandoor
My family prefer a stronger flavour
My tikka is no good for making a curry with
It's such a strong flavour, that it ruins the sauce

[Madrasandy]

My tikka is no good for making a curry with
It's such a strong flavour, that it ruins the sauce

Yep second that haldi, blades tikka overpowers any curry that I have made, and do not use it curries now

[daveyham]

Totally agree regarding overpowering the taste of a curry. For a tikka that is OK in a curry I use pat Chapman's light tandoori marinade.

[Naga]

...I use pat Chapman's light tandoori marinade.

Is this the recipe you use?
(http://britishexpats.com/forum/barbie-92/curry-534808/page2/#post6341693)

Light Tandoori Marinade

5fl oz (150ml) milk
2 teasp garlic powder
1 teasp ginger powder
1 teasp chilli powder (more if you like it hotter)
1 teasp dried mint
1 teasp salt
1/2 teasp deep red food colouring (optional)
1/2 teasp turmeric

[daveyham]

Looks like the one naga, I haven't got his book to hand to confirm. It delicately flavours the chicken but does not leave a thick marinade coating on the chicken. Hence when you use the tikka pieces in a curry the marinade doesn't come off and ruin your sauce. I still use thicker tikka marinades for some dishes though. Chicken chaat and chicken tikka masala being two of them.
Speaking of chicken chaat, got 2 kg to cook for boxing day lol.

[Naga]

Mmmmm! Chicken Chaat! That, along with Chicken 65, had sort of slipped off my radar. I must remedy that!

Thanks for replying to the marinade question, DH. I've got some tikka to make tomorrow, so I think I'll give this one a go just to try out.

I don't have any Pat Chapman books, and I haven't tried out any of his recipes (mainly due to the bad press his stuff seems to attract), but I *do* use his tandoori masala mix which is recommended in Curryhell's Elaichi North Indian Special and it seems pretty good.

[Korma Chameleon]

...but does not leave a thick marinade coating on the chicken. Hence when you use the tikka pieces in a curry the marinade doesn't come off and ruin your sauce.

I'm surprised you say Blades Tikka leaves a coating. As it has no yoghurt, I found it didn't stick to the chicken at all. In fact this was the first real chicken tikka I've done, one that infused the meat rather than just coated. That said, I agree that is has a real punch.

[Jeera]

Using fresh garlic and ginger makes a difference to this. I tried it at the weekend , didn't have any mint and it was amazing.

My view is use fresh garlic, ginger, onion in every dish. Mmm