Tikka Masala
Tikka Masala is a famous Indian dish usually served with chicken, but for a twist on this classic dish it can be adapted for vegetarians by using cheese.
Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 1 packet Paneer cheese eg. Clawson, boiled for 20 minutes and cut into 2cm cubes
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 green cardamom pods
- 1 ” cinnamon shard
- 1 medium onion made into a paste
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and made into a paste (Anjum uses a fine microplane grater)
- 1¼ ”ginger peeled, made into a paste (Anjum uses a fine microplane grater)
- 3 medium-large tomatoes pureed
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1¼ tsp garam masala
- Salt to taste
- ¼-1/2 tsp red chilli powder or to taste
- 6 tbsp double cream
- 3 good tbsp butter
- 15 cashew nuts blended with some water
Instructions
- Blend the onion until smooth.
- Boil paneer in plenty of water on a low flame for 20 minutes.
- Heat the oil and 1 tbsp of the butter until hot, add the cardamom and cinnamon stick and follow, 10 seconds later with the onions. Cook on a moderate flame until the excess water has dried off and the onions have turned golden.
- Add the ginger and garlic pastes and sauté, over a gentle flame, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, powdered spices and salt. Cook, over a moderate flame, for 20-25 minutes or until well reduced and you can see oil coming out of the sauce. Turn the heat up and fry this paste for a further 3-4 minutes. Add the paneer, butter and cream and 400ml water. Bring to a boil and simmer for another 5-7 minutes. You may want to add a little more water, depending on how thick you like your sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve.
Notes
Garnish your tikka masala with a swirl of cream and a little fresh coriander.
