Chicken tikka masala
THIs is one of the nation’s favourite curries ordered in restaurants and takeaways. Chicken tikka masala is also a popular ready meal, both frozen and fresh. Making your own from scratch means you can improve the nutritional content and quality of the curry.
The cucumber salad is traditionally called kachumber, although this is simplified here. Dried spices give a nicer taste than shop-bought pastes, which are often loaded with salt and can taste a tad synthetic as they are thickened with modified starches and gums.
SERVES 4
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2.5 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp chilli powder, cayenne pepper, or dried chillies
• 1 tsp each ground turmeric, cumin and coriander
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 3 tbsp tomato puree
• 8 large skinless and boneless chicken thighs (about 1kg)
• 500g tomato passata
• 100ml double cream
• Sea salt
• Coriander leaves, to garnish
FOR THE SALAD
• 1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and sliced into half-moons
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 2 tomatoes, deseeded and diced
• Handful of coriander, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of 1 lime
HEAT the oil in a large deep-sided nonstick frying pan set over a medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper, then cook for 5 minutes until softened.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the spices (use less chilli or cayenne if you prefer less heat) and cook for 1 minute until they become fragrant, then add the tomato puree and cook for a further minute.
Add the chicken thighs and stir to coat in the marinade.
Cook for 3–4 minutes to seal the meat, then add the passata and 100ml water. Simmer gently for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Meanwhile, prepare the salad by adding all the ingredients to a bowl and combining well. Season with a little salt then put in the fridge until ready to serve.
Take the curry off the heat and stir in the cream. Taste and season with salt and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with brown rice, wholemeal pitta bread and the cucumber salad.