Chicken Tikka Masala

For 8. Best made a day before to allow the flavours to nicely blend together. Serve with basmati rice. Inspired by the Marks and Spencer gold standard.
Marinade
- 1.5kg / 3lbs chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, chopping into chunks (or 2.5lbs of paneer)
- 1.5 large onions (too much onion prevents a crust forming during grilling)
- 150g tube of tomato puree
- 3 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 garlic cloves
- 5 cm ginger (50g)
- 1 tsp chilli powder (omit if there are lots of white people at dinner)
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns, ground
- Juice of one lemon
Masala Sauce
- 6 tbsps groundnut oil
- 1.5 onions, coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsps black onions seeds
- 6 garlic cloves (30g)
- 6 green Thai chillies
- 10 green cardamom pods
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 2 teaspoons of coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 800g canned tomatoes (pref. from Italy), pureed
- 500g Greek style yogurt (Total, full fat)
- can of coconut milk, only white liquid
- juice of one lime or a lemon
- 1 tsp garam masala
- fresh coriander (bunch)
- fresh mint (bunch)
Recipe
- Zap everything in marinade and incorporate chicken in a large bowl and cling wrap. Leave for two hours or so in the fridge.
- Heat groundnut oil in pan.
- Cook onions over medium high heat for five minutes until soft in large pot.
- Add chillies, garlic and black onion seeds and cook until fragrant.
- Grind the coriander seeds, add with green and black cardamoms and salt and cook for a few minutes.
- Add tomatoes, yogurt and coconut milk. Bring to boil, simmer covered until silky (about 25 minutes, LO FL). Stir now and then.
- Put chicken on grill tray and drizzle or spray with oil. Grill chicken at oven raill 2 at 500F for 8 minutes until black spots appear.
- Incorporate chicken into masala sauce.
- Add garam masala, lime juice and mint.
- Serve with basmati rice.