We eat lots of curries here at The Madhouse but Chicken Tikka is something that I have never eaten outside of a curryhouse and I didn't have a clue how to make it at home. Well, Schwartz to the rescue ! In their lovely selection of herbs and spices that we received for review, they sent us a tub of Tikka Curry Spices.
Described as "a medium-heat blend of ground spices including ginger and roasted coriander seed, combined with garlic and coriander leaf, ideal for Chicken Tikka and Chicken Tikka Masala", it is absolutely simple to use. I followed the recipe on the back of the tub and mixed 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of Schwartz Tikka Curry Spices and 3 tablespoons light olive oil in a bowl.
Now this is where my manic multitasking let me down ! I'd already read the instructions and knew that the next step was to add this to 100g Greek yogurt (or fromage blanc as we were using) before coating the chicken pieces, but as I was in a rush (the girls were playing in the bath while I got it ready to marinate in the fridge !), I forgot to add the yoghurt before coating the chicken. Oops ! I added the yogurt after the spices, mixed it all up and crossed my fingers !
After half an hour in the fridge, it had already taken on a slightly deeper colour, but for best results and an even more pronounced flavour, you can leave it overnight.
You can place the marinated chicken pieces on skewers under the grill but I decided to throw the whole lot into a hot frying pan. The smells that were released in the few minutes that this was cooking were absolutely heavenly and really authentic. Just a few minutes cooking on each side and the chicken pieces went lovely and golden. (I made sure not to move them about too much while cooking so that the marinade mix didn't get knocked off and I think this helped get the lovely golden finish.)
Even Sophie (now out of the bath !), who normally steers well clear of curry and spicy food, wanted a taste ... and then another one ! Despite the "medium" rating on the tub, I would definitely call this mild, as the addition of the yogurt tames it down, so it's perfect for a family meal.
Served in this way, the chicken was absolutely delicious - perfectly spiced and deliciously juicy - but I also definitely want to try the other recipe suggestion on the side of the tub. "Make a Creamy Chicken Tikka Masala, using chopped tomatoes, double cream, Schwartz Tikka Curry Spices and cooked Chicken Tikka pieces." Hmmm my mouth is watering already !
The Tikka Curry mix is a subtle blend of Spices (Ginger (18%), Cardamom, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cayenne Pepper, Turmeric, Cloves, Black Pepper), Gram Flour, Garlic Powder (17%), Salt, Roasted Spices (Cumin, Coriander Seed (3%)), Honey Powder (Maltodextrin, Honey), Coriander Leaf (2%), Colour (Paprika Extract). The fact that it is in a tub also makes it really good value because you can get several servings from it.
star rating : 5/5
RRP : £1.82 for 85g
for more information : http://www.schwartz.co.uk/productdetail.cfm?ID=11009
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I am no good at cooking any curry, but this looks quite straight forward, I think I will give it a try!
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