Chicken Tikka Masala & Vegetable Korma

With the summer season coming to a close and the busy visitor schedule slowing down, it's finally time to get some more recipes posted!

I describe this dish as an Indian yin-yang. Brian, perhaps more vividly described this dish tonight as a punch to the face, followed by a rub on the back - the punch being the spicy chicken tikka masala, and the back rub being the mild, almost sweet vegetable korma. 

(This will look similar to my tikka masala and spicy yellow squash curry combo a few months back... but this time around, I've updated the tikka with peas in lieu of green pepper, and subbed out the second spicy veg curry for one with a more manageable heat level. No, I haven't lost my love for spice... I've just come to realize that sometimes it's a bit nicer not to sweat profusely and unattractively through an entire dinner!)

Serves 4


Vegetable Korma

• 1 1/2 cup basmati rice (3 cups water)  
• 1 small onion
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 inch section fresh ginger
• 1 carrot
• 1 medium potato
• 1/2 large head of cauliflower
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin 
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp sweet madras curry
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 can (400ml) coconut milk
• 1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
• fresh cilantro, garnish

Cook rice per package instructions. 

Quarter the onion, then slice thinly. Set aside.

Mince garlic and ginger together. Set aside. 

Peel the carrot and potato. Slice carrot approximately into 1cm thick coins. Cut the potato into bite-size chunks. Set aside. 

Cut cauliflower into small florets. 

Heat small amount of olive oil over medium-high in a frying pan with a lid. Add sliced onion and stir occasionally for 3min. 

Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic and ginger, stirring for another 2min. 

Add spices, from cumin to bay leaves to the frying pan. Stir for another minute til fragrant. 

Add carrot, potato, cauliflower, coconut milk and shredded coconut. Mix well to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid, and let simmer for 25min, stirring occasionally as needed. 

Serve over rice with fresh chopped cilantro. I arrange the plate so that the half of the rice is topped with korma, and the other half is topped with tikka masala. 

marinated chicken

Chicken Tikka Masala

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Chicken marinade:
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1-2 inch section fresh ginger
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 1 small onion
• 2 heaping tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1 (6oz or 170gr) small can tomato paste
• skim milk (enough to fill the emptied can of tomato paste twice)
• 1 cup frozen peas, heaping
• fresh cilantro, garnish

minced garlic, ginger & jalapeno

Trim any fat off chicken breast and cut into small chunks. Add marinade ingredients, mix and set aside.

Mince garlic, ginger and jalapeno together.  

Dice onion and chop green pepper. 

Heat small amount of olive oil in frying pan with lid over med-high. Add garlic, ginger and jalapeno. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, til fragrant and edges of garlic turn golden brown. Add diced onion, garam masala, cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne, and continue stirring for a few minutes. 

Sweep the garlic-onion-spices mix to one side of the frying pan. To the empty side of the frying pan, add a small amount of olive oil, then the marinated chicken. Stir just til chicken is no longer pink. 

Add tomato paste and enough skim milk to fill the emptied can of tomato paste twice to the same frying pan. Add peas. Stir well to combine. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 20min. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking to the bottom. Add more skim milk or water to achieve desired consistency. 

Serve over rice with fresh chopped cilantro. Alternatively, try wrapping the rice, tikka masala and cilantro in a whole wheat tortilla. 

Chicken Tikka Masala