Melton Road Chicken Tikka Masala from Mother Tongue

"CTM. A single dish layered with flavourful contradictions that - like identities - span histories, continents and generations. Over my career, I've been entwined into the creation of countless versions of it..None, however, have beaten my memory of CTM from the curry houses of Melton Road in Leicester. This recipe is my ode to them. Proudly British and Indian in equal measure, and authentic in its delicious inauthenticity."

- Gurdeep Loyal

There are a few components to chicken tikka masala: a chicken brine, a tikka paste, a sauce, and then grilling the chicken. Kat took one glance at this cookbook and took over right from the beginning.

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• Melton Road Chicken Tikka Masala

She rolled up her sleeves and went straight to work.

Kat used the chef knife for the first time, and she felt like a badass while she was cutting the chicken thighs. She said it's her knife now.

Mother Tongue

This Melton Road chicken tikka masala recipe comes from Mother Tongue: Flavours of a Second Generation by Gurdeep Loyal.

At this point it's important to make a clear distinction. I don't want you to 'Columbus' the world to fuse 'exotic' ingredients on to a single plate for the sake of it. I don't want you to appropriate a multitude of cultures into one melting pot in a way that erases their distinct identities. Far from it.

Third-culture cooking is about celebrating cultural heritage, not deleting it; expanding culinary possibilities by supporting migrating communities, not dominating them. It is food that reflects the evolving plurality of identity throught the lens of global diasporas, cooking up stories of migration, diversity, and intergenerational connection from their perspectives.

Melton Road Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

Ingredients

• chicken thighs - boneless, skinless works best for this recipe
• lemon juice
• salt
• cloves - use ground cloves
• amchoor
• tandoori masala - you can purchase this blend or make it yourself using cumin, coriander, fennel, black peppercorns, cardamom, aniseed, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, mace, chilli powder, turmeric, and saffron.
• garlic
• ginger - finely grated fresh ginger
• yogurt - plain, natural yogurt
• oil - use your favorite vegetable oil
• ghee - also known as clarified butter
• fennel - fennel seeds
• cardamom - you'll want to split the green cardamom pods
• onions
• chilli powder - Kashmiri chilli powder is recommended. It's one of my favorites, but you can use whatever chilli powder is available to you
• sugar
• tomatoes - tomato puree and chopped tomatoes
• almonds - unsalted, toasted almonds for crushing and adding to the sauce
• coconut - freshly grated or your best substitute
• cream - double cream or heavy whipping cream will work
• coriander leaves - if you can't find coriander leaves, try fresh flat-leaf parsley

Equipment

• prep bowls
• cutting board
• chef knife
• plastic wrap
• molcajete
• measuring spoons
• spoonula
• kadai
• measuring cup
• griddle
• tongs
• spatula
• paddle grater

Prep the Chicken

Wash your hands with soap and water. Use a knife and a cutting board to cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Wash your hands when finished.

Make the Brine

Use a measuring spoon to add the lemon juice, smoked salt, ground cloves, and amchoor to a large bowl. Use a molcajete as needed to grind the spices. Transfer the chicken to the brine and mix it together.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it for 30 to 45 minutes. Toss halfway through to ensure the chicken is evenly coated.

Make the Tikka Paste

If you're making your tandoori masala spice blend, now is the time. Raid your cabinets.

Use a measuring spoon to add the tandoori masala, yogurt, and vegetable oil to a clean bowl. Grate the garlic and ginger into the bowl. Mix well.

Drain the chicken from the brine and smother it in the tikka paste. Cover and leave in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.

Prep the Sauce Ingredients

When you're ready to cook the chicken tikka masala, chop the onions, garlic, and coriander leaves. Grind the almonds and grate the coconut and ginger. Split the cardamom pods.

Start the Sauce

Heat the ghee in the kadai until it begins to smoke. Add the fennel seeds and split cardamom pods. Cook for 2 minutes, until the cardamom turns pale.

Add the Onions, Ginger, & Garlic

Add the onions. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until they become translucent. Add the ginger and garlic. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until golden but not burnt.

Add the Spices and Fenugreek

Use measuring spoons to add the tandoori masala, chilli powder, salt, sugar, and dried fenugreek. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the Tomatoes & Water

Add the tomato puree, diced tomatoes, and 250 milliliters of water. Increase the heat to high and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the Ground Almonds & Grated Coconut

Reduce the heat to low. Add the almonds and coconut. Stir. Cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Add a splash of water if it gets too dry.

Finish with the Cream & Lemon Juice

Use a measuring cup to add the double cream. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice to finish.

Grill the Chicken

Preheat the griddle on high heat. Use tongs to transfer the chicken to the griddle. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and charred on the outside.

My kids don't want charred chicken, but you do you.

Transfer the Chicken to the Sauce

Use a spatula to transfer the tikka chicken to the sauce. Stir to combine.

Finish with Cream, Fenugreek, & Coriander Leaves

Add a drizzle of cream. Sprinkle some fenugreek and chopped coriander over top. Serve with rice, yogurt, chillies, naan, and/or cold beer.