This is the recipe I have used for a long time and it always gets a good reception. It's a mix of 2 different recipes posted here.

Authentic BIR Chicken Tikka Masala

The Tikka Marinade

600g Chicken  - 4 or 5 breasts
2 hpd tbl Pataks tandoori or Tikka curry paste (the KEY ingredient as it includes lots of tamarind)
1 tsp mint sauce
1 hpd tsp garlic paste / granules
1 tsp ginger paste / powder
2 tbl lemon juice (Jiff is ok)
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 dsp spice mixture (equal parts ground coriander, turmeric, garamasala, curry powder). I use this same mix for my curries.
1 lvl tbl methi
1 lvl tsp salt
2 tbl veg oil
2 tbl water

Cut chicken breasts into desired sized chunks and cover with marinade and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Next; after marinating, pre heat oven to highest heat and  skewer the chicken onto skewers or place on a baking tray at the top of the a pre-heated oven. 
turn down to 180 and cook for about 25 minutes, making sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly (break the biggest bit in half to see if it is white all the way through.)


The Base Sauce

2 heaped tablespoons of ghee or oil of your choice (I use vegetable oil).

1 KG of onions of your choice

75g of fresh garlic

75g of fresh ginger

1 tin of tomatoes (pureed)

2 level teaspoons of turmeric

2 level teaspoons of paprika

1 level teaspoon of coriander

1 level teaspoon of cumin

1 teaspoon of tomato puree

1 level teaspoon of salt

2 pints of water (1.4 litres)

Method

Roughly chop the onions and add to a large pan.  Liquidise the ginger and garlic in a blender with a little water and add to the onions with the remainder of the water.
Bring to the boil with lid off (important, to prevent the stewed onion taste) and simmer for 45 minutes (lid off) or until the onions are extremely soft.

Leave to cool ten liquidise very thoroughly.


Next; mix the 4 spices with a little water to make a paste.

Put ghee or oil in a pan on a medium heat, add the spice paste and cook for 30 seconds, no longer or they will easily burn!

Now add the tin of liquidised tomatoes, tomato puree and the salt to the spices in the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Add this to the onion garlic and ginger mixture, bring back to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remember keep the pan lid off and stir to stop sticking to the bottom of the pan. 
Because the water content will be reduced, you can add water after the 20 minute simmering period.  This can now e frozen in 1 pint batches for future use

Tadah , one perfect base sauce!


Tikka Masala sauce for 4 servings

2 tablespoons of butter ghee or oil of your choice

1 pint of base sauce

50g block of creamed coconut

1 tablespoons of ground almonds

1 tablespoon of tomato ketchup

200ml of Heinz cream of tomato soup

1 level teaspoon of salt

1 level teaspoon of paprika

1 level teaspoon of mild chilli powder

1 level teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon of cumin

1/2 teaspoon of red powdered food colouring (optional)

1 table spoon of dried fenugreek leaves

Method;


Heat the ghee or oil in a pan until very hot.  Slowly add the base sauce, it will spatter at first so be careful.

Bring to boil and add the salt, paprika, chlli and food colouring, cooking for around 10 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.

Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 2 minutes, then add the pre-cooked chicken tikka pieces, simmer for a further 2 minutes and your done.

Sprinkle with fresh coriander to serve.


Enjoy.

This is not something new in my book.
Peel and chop onions, allow to sit in 3x their own volume of water for 1/2 hr, drain & rinse, then use said onions to make a base.

I have about 1/2 a tin left if anyone needs any.

I got banned 

Well, I had my interview today and it went really well.
It's a fantastic opportunity with great rewards and after deep talks with SWMBO it looks like it could be a goer if I get called for the next interview

I have been fortunate in the last 2 years to have 4 working trips to India which I have thoroughly enjoyed.
Recently there was an internal job vacancies email which was for 2-3 years secondment to Jaipur, India.
I have applied, and I have an interview on tuesday, but as the wife and kids wont travel with me, its a tough decision if I get offered a placement.

What would you do?

(p.s I'm not going to make my choice based upon your decisions. My choice will be purely based upon salary)

Could you do it, I mean really spend 2-3 years away from your family with only 3-4 trips back home?
46c heat in summer?
Sandstorms?
Loneliness?

You don't need a tandoor to make good naan breads

https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,12589.0.html

Welcome.
I was out in Delhi myself a couple of weeks back and the authentic food is to die for.
A great change from BIR style food.

I would love a recipe for spicy chick peas & potato for Pani Puri an also the mint water.

Providing you keep the blade well honed then its no different to an ordinary chef knife, albeit a little heavier.
I use a cheap ?3 cleaver from Wing Yips and love it.
Once you get the feel for the heavy blade you dont really look back. As Edwin says, using the width of the blade for transporting chopped food is a blessing on its own, let alone being ablt to slice, dice and chop boned meats all with the same cheap blade.