Smoked Chicken Tikka Masala

15 November 2019 By

A fairly easy recipe to prepare; with an added fragrant twist from the smokiness that a lit charcoal nestled within the dish brings.

A spicy, creamy and most flavoursome Smoked Chicken Tikka Masala, which I enjoy making using a deep tagine pot. Boneless aromatic chicken pieces in an incredible smoked curry sauce. This is one recipe you must try! You can also chargrill red capsicums and add to the dish.

Smoked Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients − Serves 6

  • 1 kg boneless chicken thighs, diced
  • 2 tbsp full fat natural pot set yoghurt, whipped with a fork until smooth
  • 1 tbsp fresh garlic paste made from 4 garlic cloves
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 4 tbsp ghee
  • 1 x 350 g jar Latasha’s Kitchen Tikka Masala Simmer Sauce
  • ⅓ cup water
  • 2 large tomatoes – blanched, skinned and diced
  • 2 tsp Mutti brand tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp cashew nut paste or almond meal (or use cashew or almond nut paste)
  • 1 tsp Latasha’s Kitchen Garam Masala (optional)
  • ½ cup fresh pouring cream
  • 1 tbsp kasoori methi
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 2 tsp jaggery or brown sugar

 

  • 1 large piece of charcoal
  • 1 tbsp extra ghee
  • Small stainless-steel utensil to hold charcoal

Garnish

  • Additional drizzle of fresh pouring cream and finely chopped mint

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Method

  1. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes with whipped yoghurt and garlic paste, pinch of salt and sweet paprika.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a pan. Sauté the marinated chicken over a full flame until the juices in the chicken evaporate and the chicken turns from pink to slightly golden. Keep the sautéed chicken aside.
  3. In another kadai/deep pan (with lid), heat 2 more tablespoons ghee and add the diced fresh tomatoes, tomato paste and pinch of salt.  Sauté until the tomatoes break down and are soft, almost mushy in texture.
  4. To this add Latasha’s Kitchen Tikka Masala Simmer Sauce and ⅓ cup water used to rinse out the jar. Simmer on low flame for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens up slightly. Then add sautéed chicken pieces and mix thoroughly until well coated. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
  5. Next sprinkle with cashew nut paste or almond paste and Latasha’s Kitchen Garam Masala. Cook for 8 minutes on low flame and keep stirring every two minutes, to make sure it doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan.
  6. Then add pouring cream, kasoori methi, lemon juice and jaggery. Mix well.
  7. Light the charcoal piece over the stove top and hold using a pair of tongs until the charcoal is white. Place it in a small stainless Indian bowl called a katori (as per thali bowls) and nestle the bowl inside the middle of the cooking pan. Alternatively place in a small foil parcel on top of the chicken. Pour a tablespoon of ghee on the hot coal, and place lid over the cooking vessel for 5 minutes. This will ensure a beautiful smoky fragrance and will impart a smoky taste to the tikka dish.
  8. Serve with an additional drizzle of pouring cream and mint leaves. Enjoy alongside dahl, cucumber kochumber, parathas, chapati and steamed rice.

PS Instead of creamy cashew nut or almond nut paste you can also use these nuts finely crushed in powdered form.