Chicken Tikka Masala with Cumin, Mustard Seed & Green Pea Basmati Rice

Chicken Tikka Masala is a ubiquitous and very popular dish in many an Indian restaurant outside of India proper. I've read that the recipe actually originated in the UK and is now widely served in Pakistani and Bangladeshi restaurants throughout the UK and North America. "Tikka" refers to the chicken pieces and "Masala" refers to the spice blend, which also incorporates tomatoes, cream and/or plain yogurt. I adapted this recipe from Shubhra Ramineni's cookbook Entice with Spice but instead of grilling the marinated chicken (which I did on my first try, but the meat was not as juicy/tender as I would have liked it to be), I pan-fried it until just done, then added it to the masala sauce just before serving. I like to serve this dish with an aromatic basmati rice recipe that I had adapted from Shubhra's same cookbook. The ingredient list may seem long, but it's all a matter of measuring and prepping beforehand (aka "mise en place"). Once all the ingredients are prepped, the cooking itself takes no time at all. The same principal applies to Chinese cooking. 

  

Chicken Tikka Masala:
2.5 - 3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 2" pieces

Marinade:
1 tbsp. minced or grated fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic, grated 
1 tbsp. ground coriander
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. turmeric
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Juice of 1/2 lime (1 tbsp)

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt (not the Greek variety)

Masala:
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. garam masala
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. sugar

2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion (red or yellow), finely sliced
4 medium-large ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup heavy cream

Red food coloring (optional)
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

1. Combine the marinade ingredients together in a bowl and mix in the chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate from 1 hour to overnight. 

2. Combine the masala ingredients together in a small bowl; cover tightly and set aside.

3.  In a large enameled cast iron pan or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp. vegetable oil over high heat and sauté the chicken until lightly browned but not totally cooked through; remove and set aside. 

4. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in the same pan and saute the ginger, garlic and onion until fragrant and translucent (3-5 minutes). Add the masala mix, jalapeño & bell peppers and saute briefly, 1-2 minutes. 

5. Add the tomatoes and chopped cilantro. Cook, stirring frequently, about 1 minute, then reduce heat to a simmer. Add 3/4 cup water and cook until the tomatoes have totally broken down. 

6. Bring the mixture up to a boil and stir in the heavy cream. Continue cooking over medium high until the sauce starts to thicken, 5-10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, as needed. Feel free to add a few drops of red food coloring to the sauce to kick up the color if it's on the light-colored side - whatever floats your boat. 

7. Stir in the reserved chicken and all of its juices. Add 1 tsp. butter, stir, cover, and let cook another 3-5 minutes.

8. Serve with plain Basmati rice or with the recipe below for Cumin, Mustard Seed & Green Pea Basmati rice.  Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.

Cumin, Mustard Seed and Green Pea Basmati Rice:
3 cups Basmati rice
4 cups water
1 tsp. brown mustard seed
1 tsp. cumin seed
3 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. minced onion

1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup green peas

1. Rinse the rice well, 2-3 times in a sieve or colander and let drain. 

2. Saute the ginger, garlic and onion in 3 tbsp. oil 1-2 minutes. Add the mustard seed, cumin seed  and salt and sauté briefly to release the flavors. Add the drained rice and toss briefly until all the rice grains are coated with the spice-oil mixture. Stir in the peas, then add 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover, and cook 15-20 minutes until the all the liquid has been absorbed (do not ever remove the cover during the cooking time). Trust me on that...stay away from the pot. Alternatively, you can also pour the rice & pea mixture into a rice cooker, add the water, and then let the cooker do its magic thing. 

CUMIN, MUSTARD SEED & GREEN PEA BASMATI RICE PILAF:

For the rice: saute the ginger, garlic and onion in veggie oil, then add the mustard seed, cumin seed and salt.  Add the drained rice and sauté briefly to coat all the grains with the spiced oil. 

You can cook the rice over the stove top or in the rice cooker. Be sure to vent the rice and remove it from the heat when it's done to prevent overcooking. Stir in the peas before serving.

TIKKA MASALA:

Marinade ingredients. 

Combine the marinade ingredients together in a bowl and stir until blended.

 Marinate the chicken anywhere from 1 hour to overnight in the frig.

 For the sauce: tomatoes, minced garlic, ginger, sliced onions, sliced jalapeño, sliced green bell pepper, and chopped cilantro.

Masala mixture. 

Saute the onion, ginger and garlic in vegetable oil until slightly wilted. 

Add the jalapeño, bell pepper and masala mixture and saute for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. 

Add the tomatoes. 

Add the chopped cilantro and cook 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Once the cream has been added, simmer an additional 5-10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. If the sauce is too light in color, feel free to add a drop or two of red food coloring. Add the chicken and let simmer, covered 3-5 minutes until just done.

Serve with basmati rice (plain or the recipe above for basmati with 
cumin, mustard seed, and green pea)