How to cook… Chicken Tikka Masala

On May 17, 2020March 11, 2026 By In Recipes1 Comment

Serves 4 as a main dish

Often called Britain’s “national dish”, some people refuse to order anything else but Chicken Tikka Masala on a visit to an Indian restaurant. Chunks of Chicken Tikka are cooked with green peppers and tomatoes and simmered in a mix of Base Curry Sauce, Tikka Marinade, yoghurt and cream.

What you need…
For the Chicken Tikka…
• 800g chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 recipe Tikka Marinade

For the Masala…
• 240ml Base Curry Sauce
• the leftover Tikka Marinade
• 2 Tablespoons yoghurt
• 2 Tablespoons tomato ketchup
• 0.5 green pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1–4 chillies, depending on how hot you want your curry, chopped
• small handful fresh coriander (chop up the stems to add to the curry and set aside the leaves for garnish)
• 2 tomatoes, cut into segments
• 100ml double cream
• salt to taste

How to make it…
1. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken, rub it in well and leave for 15 minutes. This will degrease the chicken and also helps the chicken absorb the marinade.
2. Shake off the excess lemon and coat the pieces in the Tikka Marinade. Leave for at least 15 minutes but preferably 24–48 hours.
3. Preheat your oven to 170 C. Place the pieces on a baking tray (keep the remaining marinade), ensuring all the pieces are kept well apart and cook for 12 minutes, turning once. The chicken should be mostly white on the inside but not fully cooked. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
4. Heat a pan to a medium heat and add the Base Curry Sauce, the leftover Chicken Tikka Marinade, the yoghurt and tomato ketchup and mix well.
5. Add the pepper, chillies and coriander stems and cook until the peppers start to soften. This should take about 5 minutes.
6. Add the chicken, tomatoes, cream and salt and cook until the chicken is fully cooked.
7. Serve, garnished with the coriander leaves.

**CHEF’S TIP**
Curries generally need seasoning with salt, like most dishes, so don’t be afraid to use it. If you do overdo it then lemon juice can neutralise the salty taste.

For some people a curry means only one thing: a **Chicken Tikka Masala**.

If you like this you should try our…
Butter Chicken • Prawn Korma • Mughlai Malai Kofta • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Dopiaza
A make-up company has been experimenting with curry. It’s come up with something called Chicken Tikka Mascara.

How to cook… Chicken Rogan

On May 17, 2020March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a main dish

It’s safe to say you need to like tomatoes to enjoy Chicken Rogan. A medium-strength dish, it’s based on a classic curry with the addition of the extra tomatoes and red pepper mimicking the redness of the authentic lamb version.

What you need…
• 2 Tablespoons ghee
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 600ml Base Curry Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons tomato ketchup
• 800g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 0.5 red pepper, cut into small chunks
• small handful fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 1.5 teaspoons garam masala
• salt to taste
• 2 tomatoes, cut into segments

Spice Mix 1
• 1 Tablespoon mild curry powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon vinegar

How to make it…
1. Heat the rest of the ghee to a high heat. While it is heating up mix the Spice Mix with the vinegar and enough water to form a sloppy paste.
2. Add the cumin seeds and fry for 15 seconds. They should sizzle immediately. You can test the ghee is hot enough by adding one seed.
3. Add the garlic paste and cook for 1 minute on a lower heat. You may have to remove the pan from the heat initially to stop the paste burning. (If it burns then throw it away and start again.)
4. Add the Spice Mix paste and cook for 2 minutes. It should now be thick and gloopy.
5. Add the Base Curry Sauce and the tomato and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add the chicken and red pepper, mix well and cook for five minutes.
7. Add the coriander stems, garam masala and salt, and cook for 2 minutes.
8. Add the tomatoes and continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked. The tomatoes should be soft but not broken down

**CHEF’S TIP**
Avoid overripe tomatoes for this dish or they will break up too easily.

**Chicken Rogan**. Extra tomatoes anyone?

If you like this you should try our…
Prawn Rogan • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Dopiaza • Chicken Dhansak
What’s red and square? … an uncool tomato.

How to cook… Butter Chicken

On May 17, 2020March 11, 2026 By In Recipes12 Comments

Serves 4 as a main dish

Butter Chicken is probably the most moreish Indian dish. Marinated in Tikka Marinade, cooked in the oven or grill, then added to a sauce with lots of butter and cream, this is a rich and delicious dish that will have you mopping up the last drips with your nan bread.

What you need…
• juice of 1 lemon
• 800g chicken breast or deboned thigh, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 recipe Tikka Marinade
• 150g unsalted butter
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste (or finely chopped)
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste (or finely chopped)
• salt to taste
• 6 fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, if you like it sweet)
• small handful fresh coriander (chop up the stems to add to the curry and set aside the leaves for garnish)
• 1–3 fresh green chillies (depending on the heat you prefer)
• 100ml cream

Spice Mix
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder

How to make it…
1. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken, rub it in well and leave for 15 minutes. This will degrease the chicken and helps the chicken absorb the marinade.
2. Shake off the excess lemon and coat the pieces in the Tikka Marinade. Leave for at least 15 minutes but preferably 24–48 hours.
3. Place the chicken pieces on a grill tray (you can use skewers if you choose) making sure you do not cram the pieces too closely together. Grill until the chicken is half-cooked and still pink inside (you can check this by cutting through a large piece). This will take approximately 6–10 minutes on a high heat, turning the chicken once during this time. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
4. Heat 100g of the butter on a low-medium heat until melted, add the onion and cook until it starts to brown (about 4–5 minutes).
5. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add the Spice Mix, salt and chillies, stir well and cook for 1 minute.
7. Add the tomatoes and coriander stems cook for 3-4 minutes, then add 250ml water and cook for a further 2–3 minutes.
8. Transfer the ingredients to a blender (or use a hand blender) until smooth.
9. Return the mixture to the pan and reheat for a couple of minutes before adding the chicken (use the juices that will have drained from the chicken for a better taste) and cook gently for 3–4 minutes. You can now add in the optional sugar.
10. Add the cream, the other 50g of butter and and cook on a low-medium heat until the chicken is cooked (about 5 minutes). To check the chicken is cooked, remove and cut through one of the larger pieces.
11. Serve, garnished with the coriander leaves.

**CHEF’S TIP**
You might come across some versions of this dish with less butter and cream. Seriously, what’s the point? This is Butter Chicken, just enjoy it.

**Butter Chicken**, rich in butter, cream and tomatoes.

If you like this you should try our…
Butter Paneer • Chicken Tikka Masala • Mughlai Malai Kofta • Prawn Korma • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Tikka Masala
Get rid of margerine and the world will be a butter place.

How to cook… Chicken Tikka

On May 16, 2020March 11, 2026 By In Recipes1 Comment

Serves 4 as a starter

So popular is Chicken Tikka that you can now find it in everything from sandwiches to pastas and wraps to pizzas. But still nothing beats a beautifully cooked chicken, served with crunchy salads and your favourite chutneys and pickles.

What you need…
• 400g chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
• juice of 1 lemon
• 0.5 recipe of Tikka Marinade

**CHEF’S TIP**
Chicken Tikka is the perfect for the barbeque, including getting those blackened edges achieved by the tandoor oven.

**Chicken Tikka,** just add salads and pickles.

If you like this you should try our…
Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Butter Chicken
What’s a curry lover’s favourite Abba song? … Tikka a Chance on Me.

How to cook… Handi Chicken

On May 15, 2020March 11, 2026 By In Uncategorized

Serves 4 as a main dish

Handi Chicken is a popular Punjabi dish named after the wide Indian cooking pot used particularly in north India and Pakistan. The famous Balti has origins in dishes such as these.

What you need…
• 2 Tablespoons ghee
• 3 onions sliced
• 2 teaspoons ginger paste
• 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• salt to taste
• 800g chicken, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 5-6 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 Tablespoons plain yoghurt
• 1 Tablespoon double cream
• small handful of fresh coriander, chopped

Spice Mix 1
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds crushed
• 3 whole chillies

Spice Mix 2
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder

How to make it…
1. Heat the ghee in a pan. Add Spice Mix 1 and fry for 15 seconds. to test if ghee is hot enough put in one cumin seed. It should sizzle immediately).
2. Add the onions and fry until they are golden brown.
3. Add the ginger, garlic, Spice Mix 2 and salt, stir well and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add in the chicken and cook until all the pieces are white. This should take about 3–4 minutes.
5. Add in the tomatoes and cook for 8 minutes.
6. Add in the yoghurt, cream and most of the fresh coriander (keep a small bit for the garnish), stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes. Ensure that the chicken is cooked through.
7. Serve, garnished with the remainder of the fresh coriander.
• Recipe by Kedar Chandra, chef at Pakbo restaurant in Flic en Flac, Mauritius.

**CHEF’S TIP**
The stalks of the coriander have the most flavour, so mix them in with the curry and keep the leaves for the garnish.

If you like this you should try our…
Sindhi Biryani • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona
Why did the chicken cross the leather? … To get to the other suede.

How to cook… Keema Muttar

On May 15, 2020March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a main dish

This is a dry, dark, aromatic Punjabi dish, with lovely splashes of colour thanks to the addition of the peas. This is a hearty dish, excellent with rice or mopped up with chapati. Although it’s traditionally a dry, meaty dish, you can add more Base Curry Sauce if you like your curries with more sauce or more yoghurt if you like them a bit creamier.

What you need…
• 4 Tablespoons ghee
• 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1–5 chillies, roughly chopped, depending how hot you like your curry (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 800g lamb mince
• 400ml Base Curry Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons tomato ketchup
• 0.5 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 small handful fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 200g peas (frozen are good)
• 1 Tablespoon yoghurt
• salt, to taste

Spice Mix 1
• 2 cloves
• 1 cardamom
• 1 cinnamon stick (about 10cm long)

Spice Mix 2
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 0.5 teaspoon cumin powder
• 0.5 teaspoon coriander powder

How to make it…
1. Heat the ghee to a high heat. Add the Spice Mix 1 to the pan and fry for 15 seconds. They should sizzle immediately. You can test the ghee is hot enough by adding the cardamom.
2. Add the garlic and the (optional) chillies, turn down the heat and cook for 2 minutes. You may have to remove the pan from the heat initially to stop it burning. If it burns then throw it away and start again.
3. Add the ginger paste and fry for 1 minute.
4. Add the mince, coat it well with the mixture and fry until all the dark red colour of the mince has turned brown. Make sure you break down all the chunks of mince. This will take about 3–4 minutes.
5. Add the Base Curry Sauce and Spice Mix 2, stir well and cover the pan. Cook (covered) for 20 minutes on a medium heat, stirring occasionally.
6. Add the tomato ketchup, coriander stems and garam masala and onion, mix well and simmer gently (uncovered) for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Add the peas and cook for 2 minutes.
8. Add the yoghurt and salt, mix well and cook until everything is heated through. This should take about 2 minutes.
8. Serve, garnished with the coriander leaves.

**CHEF’S TIP**
One of the great things about peas in a curry dish, like a great Keema Muttar, are their bright colour. Ensure you add them at just the right time and they are not over-cooked or they will lose that vibrant colour (think mushy peas at the fish ‘n’ chip shop).

**Keema Muttar**, a Punjabi classic you’ll find in many Indian restaurants.

If you like this you should try our…
Mughlai Malai Kofta • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona
Last time I ordered a Keema Muttar the police burst in the restaurant to speak me. Luckily it was a case of mince-taken identity.

How to cook… Keema Aloo

On May 15, 2020March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a main dish

This is a dry, dark, aromatic Punjabi dish, made extra hearty with the potato. Although it’s traditionally a dry, meaty dish, you can add more Base Curry Sauce if you like your curries with more sauce or more yoghurt if you like them a bit creamier.

What you need…
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 5cm chunks (you need about 12 pieces)
• 4 Tablespoons ghee
• 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 5 chillies, roughly chopped, depending how hot you’d like your curry (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 800g lamb mince
• 200ml Base Curry Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons tomato ketchup
• 0.5 onion roughly chopped
• small handful fresh coriander (chop up the stems to add to the curry and set aside the leaves for garnish)
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 Tablespoon yoghurt
• salt, to taste

Spice Mix 1
• 2 cloves
• 1 cardamom, cracked but not crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick (about 10cm long)

Spice Mix 2
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 0.5 teaspoon cumin powder
• 0.5 teaspoon coriander powder

How to make it…
1. Boil the potatoes and, when cooked, cover in cold water and set aside.
2. Heat the ghee to a high heat. Add the Spice Mix 1 to the pan and fry for 15 seconds. They should sizzle immediately. You can test the ghee is hot enough by adding one cardamom.
3. Add the garlic and the (optional) chillies, turn down the heat and cook for 2 minutes. You may have to remove the pan from the heat initially to stop it burning. (If it burns then throw it away and start again.)
4. Add the ginger paste and fry for 1 minute.
5. Add the mince, coat it well with the mixture and fry until all the dark red colour of the mince has turned brown. Make sure you break down all the chunks of mince. This will take about 3–4 minutes.
6. Add the Base Curry Sauce and Spice Mix 2, stir well and cover the pan. Cook (covered) for 20 minutes on a medium heat, stirring occasionally.
7. Add the tomato ketchup, coriander stems and garam masala and onion, mix well and simmer gently (uncovered) for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Add the potato, yoghurt and salt, mix well and cook until everything is heated through. This should take about 2 minutes.
9. Serve, garnished with the coriander leaves.

**CHEF’S TIP**
If you don’t want whole spices in your curry you can skip stage 2 and add an extra teaspoon of garam masala in stage 7 instead. This recipe will create a dryish dish but if you like more sauce with your potatoes simply add more Base Curry Sauce.

**Keema Aloo** might be underrated but it’s the dish you’ll see the restaurant owner eating at the end of the night.

If you like this you should try our…
Mughlai Malai Kofta • Lamb Madras • Lamb Vindaloo • Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona
Why couldn’t the mince go out to play with his friends? … because he was grounded.

How to cook… Tandoori Chicken

On May 14, 2020March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a starter

It’s hard to resist this classic Indian dish. Marinated in the delicious spices of the Tandoori Marinade and then cooked in a tandoor, Tandoori Chicken makes a great starter with salads and pickles. You can create this classic dish at home using your oven – even down to the iconic charred edges.

What you need…
• 4 chicken thighs, skinned and trimmed of excess fat
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 recipe of Tandoori Marinade

How to make it…
1. Make 2–3 small cuts about 3mm deep into the flesh of each thigh. This helps the chicken absorb the the marinade and gives the cooked thighs a nice look too.
2. Squeeze the lemon over the thighs, rub it in well and leave for 15 minutes. This will degrease the chicken and also helps the chicken absorb the marinade.
3. Shake off the excess lemon and coat the thighs in the Tandoori Marinade. Leave for at least 15 minutes but preferably 24–48 hours.
4. Preheat your oven to 170 C. Place the thighs on a baking tray, ensuring all the pieces are kept well apart and cook for 25 minutes.
5. Turn the thighs over and turn the heat up to 240 C. This will blacken the edges of the thighs, creating the same effect achieved by the tandoor.
6. Serve with salad and pickles.

**CHEF’S TIP**
You can mimic the smokey taste of the tandoor by using a small amount of smoked paprika in the Tandoori Marinade.

**Tandoori** **Chicken**, just add salad and pickles.

If you like this you should try our…
Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Tikka • Butter Chicken • Chicken Rogan
Why did the duck cross the road? … The chicken was on holiday.

How to cook… Bombay Aloo

On May 14, 2020March 11, 2026 By In Recipes1 Comment

Serves 4 as a side dish

Bombay Aloo is the classic side dish of all Indian restaurants. Few meals pass without someone on the table ordering a portion of this potato dish. It’s very simple to make with cooked potato pieces added to some Base Curry Sauce and spices and finished off with some tomato segments.

What you need…
• 400g potato, cut into 5cm chunks
• 2 Tablespoons ghee
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 160g Base Curry Sauce
• 2 tomatoes, cut into segments
• salt, to taste

Spice Mix
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 0.5 teaspoon turmeric
• 0.5 teaspoon chilli powder

How to make it…
1. Peel the potatoes, cut into 5cm chunks and boil until cooked. While they are cooking mix the Spice Mix with enough water to form a sloppy paste.
2. Heat the ghee to a medium heat. Add the garlic paste and ginger paste and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the Spice Mix paste and cook for 2 minutes. It should now be thick and gloopy.
4. Add the Base Curry Sauce and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. They should be soft but not breaking up.
6. Add the salt and potatoes, mix carefully so as not to break the potatoes or tomatoes, and cook until heated through.

**CHEF’S TIP**
This recipe will create a dryish dish but if you like more sauce with your potatoes simply add more Base Curry Sauce.

Few curries pass without an order of **Bombay Aloo**.

If you like this you should try our…
Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Prawn Korma
You’ll know if you get served a fake Bombay Aloo… Your dish will be full of imataters.

How to make… Paneer

On May 14, 2020March 11, 2026 By In Uncategorized

Makes 250g of paneer

What you need…
• 6 pints full cream milk
• 1–2 Tablespoons white vinegar or fresh lemon juice

How to make it…
1. Put the milk into a pan and bring to the boil. Keep stirring to ensure the milk does not stick or burn as this will ruin the taste of the paneer. You’ll know it has boiled when a mound forms on the surface of the milk
2. Take the pan off the heat and add the vinegar or lemon juice a little at a time until the milk separates (these are the curds forming). The separation is pretty obvious so if the whey (what’s left after the curds are forming) still looks like milk, keep going with the vinegar or lemon juice. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
3. Next, remove the curds from the whey. Put some cheesecloth (you can also use muslin or even a J-cloth) over a large bowl and pour the mixture through it to strain out the whey. Rinse the curds with cold water to wash away the taste of the acid.
4. Bring the edges of the cloth together to wrap the curds and squeeze as gently as possible (this ensures the paneer will be soft and crumbly and not flattened completely). Make sure all the liquid had been removed.
5. Put a weight on it and leave it for an hour or more. Some more liquid will come out so put something underneath it.
6. The paneer will have formed and you can now cut it into chunks or strips for use.
• Thanks to Chili Paper Chains. Main photo: Sonja Pauen, CCA.

**CHEF’S TIP**
Full cream milk is essential for the proper taste of paneer.

**Paneer** is beautiful with creamy sauces such as Butter Paneer or as a side dish with spinach.

If you like this you should try our…
Butter Paneer • Muttar Paneer • Sag Paneer
What is a paneer diet? … Curds and weigh.

The Royal Curry Club

Tag: curry accompanying dishes

How to cook… Chicken Tikka Masala

How to cook… Chicken Rogan

How to cook… Butter Chicken

How to cook… Chicken Tikka

How to cook… Handi Chicken

How to cook… Keema Muttar

How to cook… Keema Aloo

How to cook… Tandoori Chicken

How to cook… Bombay Aloo

How to make… Paneer

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