Chicken Tikka Masala: Microwave Recipe

Monday, November 21, 2011, 11:22

Chicken tikka masala is actually an improvisation from the kebabs called chicken tikkas. As they were too dry to eat with rice or roti, a gravy that goes best with them became the popular chicken tikka masala recipe. So the story of this world famous spicy chicken recipe travels from the tandoor to the cooking pan.

Fortunately, there is now an Indian microwave recipe to prepare chicken tikka masala. So even if you don't have a open fire grill you can grill the tikkas in your microwave oven. This Indian microwave recipe also saves time and makes the cooking process healthy. A normal chicken tikka masala would have included grilling on open fire and the hassles and heat of it. This Indian microwave recipe on the contrary makes it cooking smoke free and also keeps the chicken juicy (unlike the dry kebabs of the grill). This Indian curry is spicy and also very rich so don't count calories.

Ingredients For Chicken Tikka Masala:

1. Chicken boneless pieces-10 (small size)
2. Curd-100 grams
3. Ginger (crushed)-1 tablespoon
4. Garlic (crushed)-1 tablespoon
5. Tomatoes-2 (crushed)
6. Pepper (ground)-1 tablespoon
7. Cumin seeds-1 tablespoon (ground)
8. Coriander seeds-1 tablespoon (round)
9. Red chili powder-2 tablespoons
10. Garam Masala containing pepper, cloves, star anise, cardamom and cinnamon (ground)-1 teaspoon
11. Lemon juice-1 tablespoon
12. Butter-1 tablespoon
13. Fresh cream-half a cup
14. Oil-2 tablespoons
15. Salt as per taste

Procedure For Chicken Tikka Masala:

Marinate chicken with half the curd, lemon juice, crushed ginger, red chilli powder, pepper, cumin powder and salt. Leave it in the fridge overnight.
Next day, preheat the microwave to 325 degrees. Pierce and stick the chicken pieces of chicken to the skewer or grilling stakes. Attach the stakes in the appropriate place in the microwave and make sure they can roll over.
Brush oil on the tikkas or chicken pieces and grill. You need to grill the tikkas for 5-6 minutes while you make preparations for the gravy.
Heat oil in a deep pan; add garlic first and then tomato pulp. Cook for 1 minute on low flame and then add the crushed cumin and coriander seeds.
Cook for 1 minute and all the powdered spices except garam masala. Cook for a few minutes and pour beaten curd into it. Add salt and cook on low flame for 3-4 minutes as a thick gravy simmers.
By now the tikkas will be ready. Remove from the oven and put straight into the gravy while they are still steaming. Pour the fresh cream over it.
Cook for 5-6 minutes in the gravy and then add garam masala and butter from the top.

You can garnish chicken tikka masala with chopped coriander leaves.