Chicken Tikka Masala with Charred Tomato and Cashew Cream
The nation's favourite, made luxuriously smooth
Chicken tikka masala is the comfort curry, marinated chicken in a creamy, spiced tomato sauce. Here the tomatoes are blistered under the grill until charred and sweet, lending a smoky backbone, while soaked cashews are blended into a silky cream that replaces the usual double cream. The result is luxuriously smooth, a little lighter, and just as moreish as the takeaway version.
Chicken Tikka Masala with Charred Tomato and Cashew Cream
Ingredients
- 700g boneless chicken breast or thigh, cut into chunks
- 200g full-fat natural yoghurt
- 3 tbsp tikka spice blend (or 1 tsp each cumin, coriander, paprika, garam masala)
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 500g ripe tomatoes, halved
- 100g raw cashews
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 200ml hot water
- Salt, to taste
- Fresh coriander, to serve
Method
- Mix the yoghurt with the tikka spice blend, half the garlic and ginger, and a good pinch of salt. Stir in the chicken and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Soak the cashews in just-boiled water while you cook; this softens them for blending.
- Heat the grill to high. Lay the tomatoes cut-side up and grill for 8-10 minutes until blistered and blackened in patches. Set aside.
- Thread the chicken onto skewers or spread on a tray and grill for 10-12 minutes, turning once, until charred at the edges and cooked through.
- Meanwhile, heat the ghee in a large pan and soften the onion for 8 minutes until deep golden.
- Add the remaining garlic and ginger with the turmeric, cumin and paprika, and fry for a minute until aromatic.
- Tip in the charred tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, crushing them down into a thick base.
- Drain the cashews and blend with the hot water until completely smooth and creamy.
- Blend the tomato base smooth, return to the pan, then stir in the cashew cream and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
- Fold in the grilled chicken, warm through, finish with garam masala, and taste for salt.
- Scatter with coriander and serve with rice or naan.
3 The Story
Few dishes provoke as much affectionate argument as chicken tikka masala. It is often held up as a symbol of British dining: marinated, grilled chicken tikka, an idea rooted firmly in the Indian subcontinent, married to a creamy, spiced sauce that suited British tastes. Several restaurants and cooks have claimed to have invented it, and the truth is probably that it emerged in more than one kitchen at around the same time, as cooks improvised a gravy for tikka that might otherwise have arrived dry. What is not in doubt is its popularity; it has long been one of the most ordered dishes in curry houses across the country.
The two pillars of the dish are the tikka itself and the masala sauce. Tikka simply means pieces, here chunks of chicken steeped in spiced yoghurt and cooked over fierce heat until the edges catch. That charring is essential. It gives the meat its colour and a faintly smoky savour that carries through the whole bowl. A domestic grill on full blast does a respectable impression of the tandoor.
This version pushes the smoky idea further by charring the tomatoes too. Blistering them under the grill concentrates their sugars and adds a depth that tinned tomatoes simply cannot match, so the sauce tastes layered rather than flat. It is a small extra step with a generous payoff.
The cashew cream is the other twist, and a useful one. Across northern India and Pakistan, ground nuts have long been used to thicken and enrich gravies, lending body and a gentle sweetness. Soaking raw cashews and blending them to a smooth pour creates a luscious cream that behaves much like dairy, while keeping the sauce a touch lighter and naturally dairy-free if you swap the yoghurt marinade. It clings beautifully and tastes indulgent.
Serve it the traditional way, with fluffy basmati rice or warm naan for mopping, and plenty of fresh coriander on top. A wedge of lime on the side brightens everything, and a spoon of mango chutney never goes amiss for those who like a sweeter note alongside the spice.
Related Content
