Never has a bottle curry been as good as this Tikka Marinade Paste for making Chicken Tîkka Curry.
That’s right. I’ve always been an apologist for making my own curry from scratch and as such, I don’t use pre-made pastes or curry preparations.
It’s kind of a strange thing for me, since in my house we make the curry dishes from start to finish, with no extra aids or work facilitators.
Well, to be honest, making curry is the easiest thing in the world, believe me!
Because of my oriental origins, there are lots of people (friends mostly) who ask me how they can use paste X or mixture Y for their preparations.
And the answer is always the same: I don’t know how because I don’t use them.
I really don’t, for me making curry has always been about mixing spices and putting everything in the pot with lots of onions, tomatoes and coriander. Laugh, but that’s just it.
Until I was challenged by the Popat Store to try the Tikka Marinade Paste. I decided to accept the challenge and see what would happen!
Let’s make a Chicken Tikka Curry and see how I do with this one…
Imagine a donkey looking at a palace. Now imagine me looking at the Tikka Marinade Paste package!
I was completely lost, but decided to let my imagination take the wheel.
And you know what? It’s really good! ahah I never thought I would say this, but it really is!
Here at home it was such a success, they couldn’t believe that such a curry was made with a pre-prepared paste.
It really surprised them!
There’s nothing like grandma’s curry, it’s true. And no matter what anyone said, it’s indisputable!
But I can clearly say that I liked the result of this Chicken Tikka Curry and will probably make it again.
How do you make this Chicken Tikka Curry?
Well, with the help of Tikka Marinade Curry Paste, it’s that easy!
Make your favorite curry preparation, add the spices and seasonings, and mix in the Tikka Marinade.
Pretty simple, don’t you think?
Let’s get to the more complete explanations.
For this recipe you’ll need:
- Tikka Marinade Paste, on sale at Popat Store
- Cumin grains
- Onion
- Chicken (whole, just the tights, breasts, or whatever! I enjoy chicken legs and tights so that’s what I used).
- Basmati rice (at Popat Store you’ll find several types of basmatic rice, it’s an entire world)
- Coriander
- Lime
- Salt
- Pepper
- Olive oil
What tricks will ensure that this Chicken Tikka Curry tastes just right?
For starters, the rice has to be cooked to perfection! As I always say, the ratio is 1:2.
Wash the rice well before you put it in to cook. The idea is that you remove all the starch, so that it will be very loose.
Bring to a boil and immediately lower the heat to a minimum until just cooked.
At the end, turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for about 10 minutes. Voilà, perfect rice!
Second trick, the cumin grains. They are essential because they add a lot of flavor to the dish.
Speaking of flavor, coriander is without a doubt an enhancer in basically all Indian dishes. I can’t do without it, and for me it’s essential!
Onion, another ingredient that can never be missing.
And finally, the most important ingredient in this chicken tikka curry: the tikka marinade paste, which made my curry even easier and with a bang of flavor!
Do you want more than this?
Let’s check the step-by-step?
Chicken Tikka Curry
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs and legs ou 1 whole chicken
- 1 package Tikka Marinade Paste
- 1 large onion chopped or thinly sliced
- 1 csp cumin grain
- 2 cups basmati rice
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Olive oil to taste
- 1 handful minced coriander
- Drops of lime to taste
- Water to taste
Instructions
- Start by washing the chicken well and set it aside. In case you opted for the whole chicken, cut it into pieces.
- Chop the onion and place it in a pan with a good portion of olive oil. Let it simmer for a few minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the cumin grains and fry them lightly so that they release their aromas. They will start to make popcorn-like noises.
- Add the chicken and let it cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally so that it starts to cook on all sides.
- Add a little salt and pepper to season the chicken.
- Add the Tikka Marinade Paste and stir well.
- If necessary, add water to the pan to make the sauce more liquid. The water also helps in the cooking of the chicken.
- Once the chicken is cooked, sprinkle with some coriander and turn off the heat. Cover the pan while you make the rice.
- Wash the rice well, so no starch remains.
- Add it to a pot with twice as much water and a little salt.
- Once it starts boiling, turn the heat down to low and leave the pot ajar.
- When the water evaporates, the rice is done. Turn off the heat and cover it for 10 min.
- Serve the curry with basmati rice, sprinkle with more coriander, and add a few drops of lime.
Notes
In partnership with Popat Store.
