Restaurant style Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala  has a scrumptious , creamy texture restaurant style gravy , which is not only one of the best gravies but due to coal dungaar , the gravy has a smokey flavour too. 
Chicken Tikka Masala has a very vibrant colour besides its creamy and rich texture . Here is my Recipe of flavourful , creamy and tongue tickling Restaurant style Chicken Tikka Gravy .

INGREDIENTS : 

3-4 medium tomatoes 
2 tsp kashmiri red chilly powder 
1 tsp coriander powder 
1/2 tsp turmeric powder 
1 tsp sugar 
1/2 or 1 tsp garam masala powder 
2-3 tbsp fresh cream 
1 tsp dry crushed kasoori methi 
60-70  gms cashews 
2 tsp ginger garlic paste 
2 onions finely chopped 
3-4 peppercorns 
3-4 cloves 
1 stick cinnamon 
2 green cardamon 
2 bay leaves 
oil /ghee /butter
2 tbsp cream 
coriander leaves for garnishing 
1 -2 coal 
salt 

INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKEN TIKKA MARINATION : 

500 kg boneless chicken 
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp tandoori masala 
1/4 cup curd 
1 tbsp lemon 
1/4 tsp garam masala powder 
1/4 tsp cumin powder
salt to taste 
1-2 tbsp oil  
1 tsp red chilly powder 
pinch of red food colour ( optional ) 

METHOD : 

• tClean , wash and chop chicken boneless into 1.5 inch thick pieces (make few slits on each pieces if your pieces are bigger like we get in restaurants ) and marinate them with salt , ginger garlic paste, curd , garam masala, tandoori masala , red chilly powder , oil , lemon juice , cumin powder and food colour ( optional ) for few hours , I mostly marinate them a night before preparing biryani and refrigerate them. 
• In a fry pan add 2 tbsp butter and fry the marinated chicken pieces for about 3-4 minutes , flip and fry the other side too until done . ( note : this frying shall not take more than 10 -15 minutes )   OR 
• Alternatively you can grill the chicken pieces in oven too , weave the chicken pieces on skewers and grill them in pre heat oven at 180 degree C for 20 minutes or until done . Make sure you keep an oven tray beneath so that the masala that drips will be later added to the gravy . Grill the chicken pieces for 10 minutes , bast with butter , flip and grill the other side too until slightly charred and done. ( my oven has a rotary system so I just baste the pieces at few intervals ) 
• Heat the coal on gas . In a pot add all the chicken pieces and once the coal is red hot , place it in between the chicken pieces on a small piece of foil or small steel bowl , add 1 tbsp oil or butter on the coal and cover immediately , this step will give a smoky flavour to the chicken pieces . After sometime discard the coal and keep the chicken pieces aside.
• If you have prepared the chicken tikkas in pan instead of oven, after you give smoke to the tikkas , weave only the chicken pieces on skewers , baste with butter and directly grill them from all over to give charred effect . Preserve the gravy or you can say marinade for further use .

PREPARATION OF GRAVY : 

1. Side by side boil whole tomatoes for about 5-8 minutes, once they cool down drain and remove the skin of all the tomatoes and blend in food processor with cashews to a fine paste and keep aside.
2. Now in a pan drizzle some oil / ghee , add pepper corns , cloves , stick cinnamon , green cardamon  and bay leaves , let it splutter.
3.  Add chopped onions and fry until they turn golden in colour.
4. Add ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell disappears.
5. Now add tomato cashew paste and cook for 5-7 minutes on low flame .
6. Add salt , red chilly powder and coriander powder and cook on low flame until the oil separates.
7. Add the chicken tikka pieces and the remaining gravy . ( the one which you preserved while preparing tikkas ) 
8. Add garam masala powder , sugar and crushed kasoori methi , mix well and cook for a minute or two.
9. Add 1 cup of water and cook for more 5-8 minutes or until the whole gravy thickens up.  Add fresh cream , mix well and adjust salt , sugar and other spices if necessary . Turn off the gas.
10. Heat the coal on gas , once the coal is red hot , keep it on a small piece of foil or small steel bowl , place the foil / small bowl in the middle of the gravy and add 1 tbsp oil or butter on the coal and cover immediately , this step will give a smoky flavour to the CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA GRAVY. ( this step is optional ) 
11. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with lachedar paranthas/ tandoori Naan or buttery jeera rice.

NOTE : 

• Increase or decrease the red chilly powder as per your preferences.
• Adding of food colour is optional , so if you do not wish to add you can skip it.
• I did not add food colour in my gravy , but if you want you can add it.
• You can skip fresh cream if you do not wish to add it.
• Doing coal tempering ( dungar ) adds a smokey flavour to the gravy , but if you do not wish to do it , then skip it.

COURSE : Main Course .
COOKING TIME : Approximately 1 hour. 
PREPARATION TIME : 10 -15 Minutes.
SERVES : 4-5 Persons.

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