How to Make Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients:

Marinate:

3 or 4 boneless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, minced
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons of fresh cracked pepper
250g of thick natural yogurt
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
2 teaspoons of chilli powder
Salt

Tomato Gravy:

250g of heavy cream
2 red chillies (finely chopped)
2 teaspoons of paprika powder
1 Handful of coriander leaves/cilantro (chopped)
250g tin of cocktail tomatoes
1 tablespoon of ghee or clarified butter
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Skin and bone the chicken breasts, if not done already, then cut them into bite sized pieces.

Mix all the marinate ingredients, except the chicken, in a large bowl. When thoroughly mixed add the chicken pieces and mix until all the chicken is well coated.  Cover the bowl and place in the fridge over night or for several hours at least.   

When the chicken pieces are marinated heat up the grill to a high temperature and grill the chicken pieces for about 5 or 6 minutes.  You can thread the chicken pieces onto skewers to grill them, but if you use wooden ones soak them in water for at least half an hour beforehand to prevent then catching fire under the grill.

Preparing the Gravy:

Heat a large frying pan (skillet) to a medium heat and melt the ghee/clarified butter.  Add the chopped chillies and garlic and sauté until they become fragrant.  Then sprinkle on the paprika powder, ground cumin and a pinch of salt.  Saute for another minute of two until the mixture turns into a paste.

Scrape the bottom of the frying pan (skillet) to release any bits that may be stuck to the bottom.  Pour on the tin of tomatoes and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes on a low heat, until the sauce begins to thicken.  Add the grilled chicken pieces and the cream then simmer for another 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens further and the chicken and cream is fully heated through.

Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves just before serving.