Hey there! If you’ve ever felt like the stove was your nemesis and the bane of your existence…if you’ve given up on cooking… then you are in the right place. I get it. I used to be terrified of cooking as burnt food and tears were my only kitchen companions. Fueled by New Year’s self-growth mindset, I decided it was time for me to learn how to cook. While this initially gave me motivation to cook, it wasn’t until I heard my mother emphasize the importance of preserving our culture through family recipes that I stuck with it despite all odds. This marked the beginning of my journey in the art of making Pakistani cuisine, learning directly from my mother. The goal was to not only become more self-sufficient but also to reconnect with my Pakistani roots. The first recipe I mastered was making Chicken Tikka Masala. Don’t take this recipe lightly as it’s more than just steps and ingredients. Consider it a source of inspiration for you to achieve a goal that you might’ve given up on once upon a time.
So here it goes…
Ingredients:
- 200g Chicken cubes
- Salt
- Crushed cumin seeds
- Red chili powder
- Coriander powder
- Paprika
- Garam masala
- Lemon juice
- Ginger paste
- Garlic paste
- Yogurt
- Oil
- 1 Chopped onion
- Chopped canned tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Heavy Cream
Directions:
- In a bowl, to 200g of chicken cubes add the following:
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cumin seeds crushed
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 2 tbsp yogurt
- ½ tbsp oil
- Mix everything and allow the chicken to marinade for 30 minutes.
- Heat some oil in a pan over low-medium heat. Cook the marinated chicken for 3 minutes on each side until it turns golden brown. Once cooked, set it aside.
- Fry 1 small chopped onion in 2 tbsp of oil until golden.
- Add 1 tsp of garlic paste and 1 tsp of ginger paste and cook at medium heat for 1 min.
- Blend ⅓ cup chopped canned tomatoes and add to the same pan.
- Stir in 1 tsp of tomato paste.
- Add the following spices:
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cumin seeds crushed
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garam masala
- Mix all that in and cook over medium-high heat for 1 min.
- Add the cooked chicken to the masala, followed by 3-4 tbsp of water from the chicken marinade bowl. Mix well.
- Pour in 30 ml of heavy cream, mix again, and cover with a lid. Simmer over low heat for approximately 5-6 minutes.
Enjoy!