Written for 2. Change that in the app and the amounts follow.
Tick things off as you get them ready.
Season the chicken with ½ tsp garam masala, ¼ tsp turmeric, and a pinch of salt. Toss with 2 tbsp of the yogurt. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the sauce.
Heat oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Fry the marinated chicken in batches until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, cook onion over medium heat for 5 minutes until golden. Add garlic and ginger, cook 1 minute.
Add the remaining garam masala, cumin, paprika, and turmeric. Cook the spices in the oil for 1 minute until deeply fragrant.
Add the tomatoes. Stir well, then simmer 8 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Return chicken to the pan. Simmer together 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in remaining yogurt. Top with cilantro and serve.
What she’d tell you
The first time I tasted tikka masala, I thought: who taught this sauce patience? It smells like it has been cooking for hours. The trick is blooming the spices: nothing else. Babcio learned it in one afternoon and has been making it ever since.
full-fat yogurt for the marinade; it clings better
thighs, which stay tender through the simmer
Three days in the fridge, and the spice settles into it. Two months frozen.
A pot over low heat with a splash of water. Do not let it boil or the yogurt splits.
