Chicken Tikka Masala
Recipe presented by Chef Ahmed Rashad – Hilton Sharks Bay
The Chef Profile:
Chef Ahmed Rashad has worked at various hotels within the prestigious Hilton hotel chain for over ten years and for the past six years at the Hilton Shark’s Bay hotel. He started his career in 1992 and worked in Cairo, Nuweiba, Sharm el Sheikh and Belgrade in Serbia.
Initially it his passion for food was decoration and presentation which ultimately led him into a career as a Chef. Now Chef Ahmed enjoys creating authentic dishes from around the world; for this Chef’s profile he has chosen to present one of his signature dishes; Chicken Tikka Masala.
Chicken Tikka Masala is a traditional Indian dish which combines tender marinated pieces of chicken (usually cooked in a special clay oven) with a rich flavorsome sauce which is lightly spiced with the aromatic Indian spices of cumin, coriander and ginger.
For the chicken:
1 kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup whole-milk yogurt
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
For the sauce:
1/2 tablespoon butter, or olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1-inch ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 to 2 tablespoons garam masala
1 fresh diced tomatoes
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup roughly chopped coriander,
plus extra for garnish
Tablespoon salt and pepper.
Method:
For the chicken:
Cut the chicken into small bite sized pieces, removing any sinew and/or skin fat.
Prepare the marinade by putting the olive oil, yogurt, coriander, cumin, lemon juice, finely diced garlic and salt and pepper in the mixer to form a smooth paste. Mix the chicken pieces into the paste, making sure all the chicken has a good coating.
Leave the chicken for at least 15 minutes or preferably longer to marinade. The longer it is left the more intensive the flavor will be.
Normally the chicken would be cooked on long metal skewers in a traditional Tandoori clay oven. The alternative for the home cook is to either cook the pieces in the oven and then grill them for a few minutes at the end, or cook them over coals on a BBQ.
Preparing the sauce:
Warm a half-tablespoon of butter, or oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook until the onions are soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of the garam masala, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes and the juice and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the sauce begins to slightly thicken, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the cream and chicken pieces into the sauce, and simmer until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce is just starting to bubble, 1 to 2 minutes.
Taste and add salt, pepper, or other seasonings to taste.
Garam Masala is a blend of spices, so depending on the strength of your masala spice mix, you may want to add a small amount of chili or another tablespoon of the masala.
Stir in the freshly chopped coriander, just before removing the sauce from heat.
Serve immediately with Basmati rice.
Top each serving with a sprinkle of fresh coriander.
Tags:fresh, Hilton
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