Garam Masala Recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala
Learn how to make homemade garam masala, the essential spice blend for cooking delicious Chicken Tikka Masala. This easy recipe uses simple pantry spices like cumin, coriander, cardamom, and cinnamon to create a rich, aromatic flavor. Perfect for your next Indian-inspired meal, whether you're making chicken, paneer, or veggie tikka masala. Spice up your cooking with this versatile masala blend!
Category
Curry
Servings
4
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Chicken Tikka Masala Curry is a rich, aromatic dish bursting with bold spices and tender chicken. This comforting Indian-inspired curry is made with a homemade garam masala blend, turmeric, and Indian red chili powder, simmered in a creamy yogurt-based sauce for a perfect balance of heat and depth. Served with rice or naan, it’s a hearty meal that’s easy to customize—swap chicken for tofu, chickpeas, or veggies for a vegetarian option. A delicious, homemade curry packed with authentic flavors!
Author:Tee
Ingredients
2 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
20g cinnamon
12 pods white cardamom
10 bay leaves
26 cloves
2 star anise
2 nutmeg
2 pieces mace
1 tsp black peppercorns
300g boneless chicken thigh, cut into small pieces
2 tbsp plain yogurt
2 tsp lemon juice
A pinch of salt
Rice bran oil – 3 tbsp
Onion, chopped – 2
Small tomatoes, halved – 10
Medium carrot, chopped – ½
Masala powder – 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 2 tbsp
Indian red chili powder – 2 tbsp
Salt – ½ tsp
Water – 450 ml
Plain yogurt – 3 tbsp
Garam Masala
Ingredients for Marinating Chicken
Ingredients for Masala Curry Sauce
Directions
Garam Masala
Break larger spices, such as mace, into smaller pieces. Lightly crush nutmeg, white cardamom, and star anise with a mortar and pestle—just enough to crack them, not turn them into powder.
Toast hard-to-burn spices that take longer to roast, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, white cardamom, star anise, black peppercorns, cumin, coriander seeds, and mace, over low heat.
Keep roasting until the spices release a smoky aroma and the cumin seeds puff up. Then, add the bay leaves and roast for another 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Grind the toasted spices into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle. Your homemade masala is now ready for cooking.
Tikka Masala Curry Sauce
Marinate the chicken with yogurt, salt, and lemon juice. Let it sit for 30 minutes.
Heat a pan over low heat, add rice bran oil, and sauté the onions until soft. Then, add tomatoes and carrots, cooking for another 2–3 minutes until the carrots start to soften.
Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry until it begins to cook. Then, add masala powder, Indian red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Adjust seasoning to taste and stir until fragrant.
Pour in water and yogurt, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to allow the curry sauce to infuse into the chicken.
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