RAG Demo

Tag: Dinner party

  • Chicken Tikka Masala

    Chicken tikka masala is the dish of the Punjabi diaspora. Its origins are argued over between Glasgow, London and Delhi, but everyone agrees it grew out of Punjabi cooks pairing tandoor-grilled tikka with a curry sauce for customers who wanted gravy. It is now made in Indian homes as a richer, spicier alternative to butter chicken.

    The chicken pieces are marinated in yogurt and spices and grilled until charred. The masala starts with onions fried until deep brown, then tomatoes, ginger, garlic and ground spices, with only a little cream at the end. The result is orange-red, thick and savoury, with charred chicken edges and more heat than makhani gravy.

    It works for dinner parties and weekend meals, with naan, paratha or jeera rice. The tikka can be grilled a day ahead, which makes it practical for entertaining. Grilled tikka keeps in the fridge for two days, and the masala can be cooked while the chicken rests, so dinner comes together quickly. A cucumber raita and a green salad round out the plate without making the meal heavier.

    At a glance

    RegionPunjab
    CuisinePunjabi
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time45 minutes
    Total time75 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientschicken / yogurt / onion / tomato / capsicum

    Ingredients

    For the tikka

    • 600 g boneless chicken, cut into 4 cm cubes
    • 1/2 cup hung curd
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 onion and 1 capsicum, cut into squares

    For the masala

    • 3 tbsp oil
    • 1 tbsp butter
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 large onions, finely chopped
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 2 green chillies, chopped
    • 4 tomatoes, pureed
    • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
    • 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tsp kasuri methi
    • 1/4 cup cream
    • Salt to taste
    • Chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Combine all tikka marinade ingredients, add chicken, onion and capsicum, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
    2. Thread onto skewers and grill at 230 C for 15 to 18 minutes, turning once, until charred in spots. Alternatively sear in batches on a smoking hot cast-iron pan, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
    3. For the masala, heat oil and butter on medium. Add cumin, then onions, and cook 12 to 15 minutes until deep brown.
    4. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies for 1 minute, then the tomato puree and all the powdered spices with salt.
    5. Cook on medium-low 10 minutes, stirring, until the masala darkens and oil floats on the surface.
    6. Add 3/4 cup hot water and simmer 5 minutes. Add the grilled chicken and vegetables and simmer another 5 to 7 minutes.
    7. Stir in garam masala, crushed kasuri methi and cream. Simmer 2 minutes and garnish with coriander.

    Tips

    • Patience with the onions builds the depth that separates this from butter chicken.
    • Do not skip the char on the tikka; it flavours the whole gravy.
    • Add a splash of water from rinsing the marinade bowl into the gravy for extra flavour.

    Serve with

    Garlic naan, laccha paratha or jeera rice.

  • Butter Chicken

    Butter chicken, or murgh makhani, came out of the Moti Mahal kitchen in Daryaganj, Delhi, after Partition, when Punjabi cooks from Peshawar looked for a way to use up leftover tandoori chicken. They tossed the dried-out pieces into a sauce of tomatoes, butter and cream, and a dish was born that now sits on every North Indian menu from Amritsar to Toronto.

    Good butter chicken is mildly sweet, tangy and smoky all at once. The chicken should carry the char of a hot grill and the warmth of a yogurt-chilli marinade, while the gravy stays smooth and glossy, never pasty. Kashmiri chilli gives it colour without much heat, and a pinch of crushed kasuri methi at the end is the aroma people remember.

    At home it is a weekend or celebration dish, made when guests are coming over or when someone has asked for restaurant food without going out. It pairs naturally with butter naan, but plenty of Punjabi families eat it with plain jeera rice and a bowl of sliced onions dressed with lemon and chaat masala.

    At a glance

    RegionPunjab
    CuisinePunjabi
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time45 minutes
    Total time75 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientschicken / tomato / butter / cream / cashew

    Ingredients

    For the marinade

    • 600 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm pieces
    • 1/2 cup thick hung curd
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 tbsp mustard oil
    • 3/4 tsp salt

    For the makhani gravy

    • 4 tbsp butter, divided
    • 1 tbsp oil
    • 2 green cardamom, 4 cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 500 g ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
    • 15 cashews, soaked 20 minutes
    • 1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 1 to 2 tsp sugar or honey
    • 1 tsp kasuri methi, crushed between palms
    • 1/3 cup fresh cream
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. Mix all the marinade ingredients, add the chicken and rub well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
    2. Heat a heavy cast-iron tawa or grill pan on high until it smokes. Lay the chicken pieces in a single layer and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side, without moving them, until charred in spots and just cooked through. Set aside.
    3. For the gravy, heat 1 tbsp butter and the oil in a pan on medium. Add cardamom, cloves and cinnamon and let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
    4. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for a minute until the raw smell goes. Add tomatoes, drained cashews and a splash of water. Cover and cook on medium-low for 12 to 15 minutes until the tomatoes are completely soft.
    5. Cool slightly, pick out the cinnamon stick and blend to a very smooth puree. For a restaurant finish, push it through a sieve back into the pan.
    6. Add 2 tbsp butter, the chilli powder and salt to the puree. Simmer on low for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens and butter glistens on the surface.
    7. Stir in the grilled chicken, garam masala and sugar. Simmer 5 minutes so the chicken absorbs the gravy; add a few tablespoons of hot water if it gets too thick.
    8. Add the crushed kasuri methi and cream, stir gently and switch off the heat as soon as it comes back to a bare simmer. Finish with the last tablespoon of butter on top.

    Tips

    • Thighs stay juicy through the double cooking; breast works but take it off the tawa slightly underdone.
    • Adjust sugar only after tasting – tomatoes vary a lot in sourness across seasons.
    • For a smokier dish, place a hot coal in a small steel bowl over the finished gravy, pour a few drops of ghee on it and cover for 2 minutes (dhungar).

    Serve with

    Butter naan or laccha paratha, with jeera rice and lemon-dressed onion rings.