Chicken Tikka Masala Curry Recipe

We pride ourself on bringing you authentic Indian food and curries from around the world and here is our perfect Chicken Tikka Masala curry recipe.
Pat Chapman, founder of the Curry Club, reckons that this type of curry was invented by a British curry house chef (identity unknown) around 1980 by adding a  a tasty, creamy, pink, mild sauce - including a surfeit of red food colouring - to the already very popular dish of Chicken Tikka. Various other theories say the origins lie in 1950s Glasgow or late 1970s Soho, London, while some insist it did come from India, most probably Punjab during the last 50 years. Whatever the true beginnings, all are agreed that it is one of the UK’s most popular dishes, even being proclaimed by former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook as “Britain's true national dish” .
The many theories of the origins of the Chicken Masala Curry recipe are only matched by the number of variations in the actual ingredients used. As ever, the Real Curry Secret brings you the tried and tested, ultimate version.

Chicken Tikka Masala Curry Recipe
4 chicken breasts, skinned, boned and diced into 1 inch cubes

For the marinade:
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 inch square cube of fresh root ginger, grated or finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground chilllies
1 teaspoon tumeric
2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
1 tablespoon tomato puree
Juice of  half a lemon
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
Salt and black pepper

Sauce:
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped or ground chillies according to taste
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 x 400 grams tin of chopped tomatoes or fresh if you prefer
3 - 4 tablespoons natural yoghurt
Salt and black pepper
Optional cream or double cream

Make the marinade by mixing all the required ingredients together in a bowl, add the cubed chicken and stir, making sure it is all well coated. Cover the bowl and set aside for at least 8 hours - in the fridge overnight would be fine.
Next day remove from fridge and stir well. Using a little vegetable oil, heat a pan to medium high heat, add the chicken and brown it on all sides, taking about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile in another pan, fry the onion, chilli, tumeric and garam masala for 5 minutes, until the onion begins to brown, then add the tomatoes and yoghurt, stirring well and simmer for 10 minutes to get a consistent sauce. The browned chicken pieces are then added to the sauce and simmered for a further15 - 20 minutes, after checking for the seasoning of salt and pepper. If you want a bit more of a luxurious sauce, stir in a couple of tablespoons of cream just before serving. The sauce will not be the colour of many restaurant versions as these often use a lot of food colouring - you could adjust yours by using extra tomato puree near the end of cooking, but be guided by taste and not the final colour of the dish.

With some plain boiled basmati rice and possibly a simple mixed leaf salad you will have a perfect meal featuring this great dish of British cuisine. That is our Chicken Tikka Masala curry recipe - use no other!

Mince Curry Recipe

Mince is a very useful ingredient for a curry and is called keema in India. It can be cooked much faster that larger pieces of meat, can be marinated in a shorter time and should be a cheaper alternative to other cuts. This mince curry recipe uses lamb but any kind of mince works just as well – even Quorn mince for vegetarians. Do not buy very cheap mince as it is likely to have a much higher fat content and as this is a fairly dry type of curry where the meat is not lost in a lot of sauce, the excess fat would not be welcome.

Mince Curry Recipe
1 x 125 grams/ 3 - 4  tablespoons of plain yoghurt - thick Greek is best
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ kilogram (1 lb 2 oz) minced lamb
4 medium onions, peeled, with two just sliced and the other two finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into quarters lengthways
225 grams (8 oz) fresh or frozen peas, shelled
1-2 fresh green chillies, finely chopped or 1 - 2 teaspoons of ground chillies (optional)
Salt. pepper and lemon juice according to taste

Mix the turmeric, garam masala and cumin seeds into the yoghurt in a large bowl, then add the minced lamb, stir well and put aside to marinate for up to an hour if possible.
The medium finely sliced onions are then gently fried with the vegetable oil in a good sized pan (make sure it has a lid for use later) until they get a golden brown colour.
The marinated mince mixture can then be added, the heat turned up a bit, and fry on a medium setting for about 5 minutes. Give a good stir now and then before adding the remaining onions (the fairly finely chopped ones), the quartered garlic, and the chillies. Stir well and then pour in enough hot water (or a suitable optional stock) to make sure the whole mixture is just barely covered. Put on the lid and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Remove lid and check for consistency - more water may be required now or during the next 15 minutes or so while the lamb begins to brown and the liquid reduces. Add the peas. Check for seasoning, adding salt, pepper and lemon juice as required. Slowly simmer with the lid off this time. The end result should be very moist and succulent but not swimming in liquid.

This dish will need the addition of rice or an Indian bread to make a full meal, plus I would suggest at least one vegetable side dish which has a bit of sauce - a nice thick dal would go brilliantly or perhaps a creamy sag mattar paneer.

I hope you will try this great mince curry recipe and that it will become a firm favourite in your curry repertoire.

Tandoori Paste

Although a trip to your local shopping emporium may provide a wide choice of ready-made tandoori pastes by brands such as Pataks and Rajah, the Real Curry Secret believes that for a few minutes' extra effort, you will find yourself rewarded with the true taste of this style of Punjabi cooking.

"Tandoori" takes its name from the type of clay oven (tandoor) that is used extensively throughout India, Pakistan and the Middle East. It was introduced into India by the Moslem Moghuls, who originated in Persia.
The temperature in a tandoor can reach 480°C (900°F), and ovens need to remain lit for long periods to maintain high cooking temperatures.
The tandoor is currently a very important fixture in many Indian restaurants around the world. Some modern day tandoors use electricity or gas instead of charcoal.

Tandoori Chicken
In a large bowl you will need to add and combine the following:
½ cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon peeled ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground chillies
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt

Next take a chicken weighting approximately one and a half kilograms and cut into serving pieces. After skinning the chicken portions, cut slashes in the flesh to allow the marinade to penetrate, and then add the chicken pieces to the yogurt and spice mixture, turning several times to ensure all the chicken portions are coated. Cover and place in the fridge for between 8 and 24 hours. Thirty minutes before cooking remove chicken from the fridge, and pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees centigrade. Remove chicken from the bowl whilst lightly squeezing to remove excess marinade, brush with oil, place on a rack in the in the oven, and leave to cook for around 25 to 30 minutes. Serve with chopped coriander and slices of red onion, tomato, and cucumber plus a twist of lemon.

Tandoori Fish
In a large bowl you will need to add and combine the following:
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground chillies
½ teaspoon of ground cumin
¼ of turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt

Next take four fillets of fish (Cod, Hallibut, Monkfish but any firm white fish will do) weighting around 250 grams each and place on a tray. Coat gently with the tandoori marinade and leave to sit for about an hour. Place one tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large frying pan and heat until the oil is almost at smoking point. Carefully place your fish portions in the pan and fry for around three to four minutes, turn over with a spatula and continue frying for the same amount of time as the first side. When the fish is cooked serve onto individual plates with rice, tomato & cucumber riata, and garnish with chopped coriander.

All Purpose Tandoori Paste
This recipe will provide you with a concentrated paste that may be kept in the freezer to be used as required.

Into a blender place the following and blitz into a smooth paste
the juice of 2 lemons
100 grams fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
75 grams fresh coriander
50 grams cumin seeds, gently toasted and allowed to cool before adding
40 grams paprika
4-6 red chillies, de-seeded (depending on taste)
5 cloves of garlic, peeled
250 grams tomato puree
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
to use mix equal quantities of paste and natural yogurt, add your chicken, meat or fish and leave to marinate in the fridge for between 8 to 24 hours. If you wish to freeze for future use, place into an ice cube tray and when frozen keep the cubes in a freezer bag to be used as required.

Prepare to taste the better tandoori paste you've ever eaten. Please let us know what you think.

Low Fat Curry Recipe

The average Indian take-out meal can often have a high fat content but it's possible to make a low fat curry recipe at home that will not taste any different from your bought in favourite. If you are also careful about the accompanying dishes, a curry meal can be tasty and healthy at the same time. Curry need not come with of an oily, high fat sauce. Try this low fat curry recipe that I use a lot with different pulses and see for yourself.

Low Fat Curry Recipe
Small amount of olive oil for frying
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 inch cube of fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
1-2 fresh green chillies, finely chopped – or 1-2  dried ground chillies – according to taste

2 teaspoons garam masala

1 teaspoon turmeric
4-5 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped or 1 x 400 grams (14 oz) can
1 x 400 grams (14 oz) can of any pulse - eg chick peas, lentils, black eyed beans (or you could use cooked meat, prawn or vegetables)
Tomato puree to thicken, if required
Lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste

Fry the onion until it begins to soften and take on some colour, then add the garlic, ginger and chillies. After a minute or two add your dry spices and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the tomatoes. The mixture should then gently simmer for 10-15 minutes when you can then pour in your pre-cooked can of pulses or cooked meat or vegetables. Stir well and adjust the sauce to the consistency you are looking for - adding some vegetable stock if more liquid is needed and using a smidgen of tomato puree if you need it thicker. Season with salt, black pepper and lemon juice, as necessary.

To make a full meal cook your own plain boiled rice - use basmati if you can, but do not be tempted to make fried pilau rice which will just add more unwanted oil and fat. If do you like a more colourful looking rice, simply add a smattering of freshly cooked sweetcorn and/ or peas and stir into the boiled rice. Pappadoms can be cooked in a microwave in just a few seconds without the addition of any further oil. Serve them with a simple onion salad (chopped onions and tomatoes with a dash of mint sauce stirred through the mix). A cooling cucumber raita can be prepared by simply mixing low-fat plain yoghurt with finely chopped cucumber and black pepper.
Add as many (or all) of these accompaniments to your basic low fat curry recipe to produce a healthy satisfying meal that you will want to cook again and again.

Vegetable Samosa Recipe

This classic vegetable samosa recipe makes a real standby for any nibbles and drinks party, a great starter for your next curry meal or a tasty snack at any time. Although this is the classic recipe, some shortcuts can be made, such as using shop bought filo pastry instead of making your own dough. Personally, I prefer to know that the finished article is 100% homemade, but the choice is yours!

Vegetable Samosa Recipe
Dough: 
180 grams (6 oz) white plain flour (or a 50/ 50 mixture of wholemeal and white)
Large pinch of baking powder
Small pinch of salt
25 grams (1 oz) butter or vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter)
Enough water to make a soft dough

Vegetable stuffing:
180 grams (6 oz) potatoes, washed, cut into small dice and boiled until just cooked
90 grams (3 oz) peas fresh or frozen, but must be pre-cooked
Oil for frying
1  small onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, washed, peeled and fairly finely grated
1 -2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 fresh green chilli, finely chopped or some ground chillies, according to taste
Couple of sprigs of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Lemon juice
Pepper and salt seasoning to your taste

Make the dough first by sifting the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Rub in the fat (butter, oil or ghee) and mix in enough water to make a soft, smooth dough by kneading and then cover and store in a cool place - a plastic bag with a tiny amount of vegetable oil can be used for this purpose. (Of course, if you're using shop-bought filo pastry, you can skip this step!)
While the dough is resting, start on the filling. Fry the onion until soft, then add the grated carrot, dry spices and chilli. Next add the pre-cooked potatoes and peas and fry until the mixture is coated by the spice mixture and beginning to come together. At this point add the coriander leaves, lemon juice and seasoning as required, stir well, remove from the heat and then set aside to cool.

Next knead the dough again and divide into around 12 to 18 evenly sized balls depending on how large you want the finished samosa to be. Each ball is then rolled out to a 4 - 6 inch round, dusting with flour as required and then cut in half to make two “half moon” shapes. With one of these half moons fold the cut edge in half to make a sort of empty ice cream cone and crimp together using a fork and perhaps a little water (or a glue paste of flour and water) for better sealing of the edges. Once you have achieved a solid empty cone you can then fill it with the cooled vegetable filling.
Warning: do not over-fill as you then need to seal the top edge of the cone with the flour paste and fork crimping again.
Once you have prepared all the samosas this way you will then need to deep fry them, a few at a time, in hot oil until golden brown. Let them drain on kitchen paper. Alternatively you could use folded triangles of filo pastry and possibly bake them in the oven, basted with a little oil.
Experiment and you will soon have your own perfect vegetable samosa recipe.