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

1. Zap everything in marinade and incorporate chicken in a large bowl and cling wrap. Leave for two hours or so in the fridge.
2. Heat groundnut oil in pan.
3. Cook onions over medium high heat for five minutes until soft in large pot.
4. Add chillies, garlic and black onion seeds and cook until fragrant.
5. Grind the coriander seeds, add with green and black cardamoms and salt and cook for a few minutes.
6. Add tomatoes, yogurt and coconut milk. Bring to boil, simmer covered until silky (about 25 minutes, LO FL). Stir now and then.
7. 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.
8. Incorporate chicken into masala sauce.
9. Add garam masala, lime juice and mint.
10. Serve with basmati rice.

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