New Zealand’s popular Little India restaurants share their signature North Indian dishes with the home cook in the beautifully styled cookbook – Little India at Home
CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA
- ½ tbsp canola oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ cup plain unsweetened yoghurt
- 500g skinless, boneless chicken thighs, marinated in Tandoori Masala Marinade (see below) for at least 4 hours
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp crushed fresh garlic
- 1 tbsp crushed fresh ginger
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground fenugreek
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup cream
- ½ cup boiling water
- Salt and red chilli powder to taste
- Cream to garnish
- Chopped fresh coriander to garnish (optional)
Add first measure of oil to a large pan over a medium heat. Add paprika and mix through until it releases its red colour. Remove from heat and leave to cool. Once cool, add to yoghurt and mix through. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 220ºC fan bake. Line a baking tray with baking paper and place chicken thighs evenly on the baking paper. Do not cover chicken with excess marinade or it will not cook through fully.
Place the baking tray in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. The edges of the chicken will char – this is a good sign that the chicken is fully cooked. Cut cooked chicken into 3cm × 3cm cubes.
While chicken is cooking, heat second measure of oil in a pan and add onion, stirring continuously so it doesn’t stick to bottom of pan. Cook until almost brown. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook until softened and browned. Add turmeric, garam masala, salt and fenugreek and continue cooking until you can start to smell the spice aromas.
Stir through tomato and tomato paste and keep cooking until you start to see oil separating from onion and spice mixture. Be sure to take your time with this. The mix that you are making is called a Tarka.
Add cubed chicken to Tarka and cook until the chicken is fully heated through (about 5 minutes). Once this is done turn heat down low and stir through yoghurt mix and cream. Slowly increase heat so yoghurt and cream do not curdle. Carefully pour in boiling water and cook until water, yoghurt and cream come together and sauce begins to bubble.
Season to taste with salt and chilli powder. Garnish with a swirl of cream and freshly chopped coriander if wished.
Serves 6
Tandoori Masala Marinade
- 2 tbsp plain unsweetened yoghurt
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground fenugreek
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp crushed fresh garlic
- 1 tsp crushed fresh ginger
To make marinade, combine yoghurt, white pepper, salt, spices, garlic and ginger in a bowl and mix together until a smooth marinade is reached.
ONION KULCHA
Onion Kulcha is made with wholemeal flour and a tasty mix of onion and spices. It can accompany a meal or can be eaten on its own with Indian pickle and yoghurt.
Roti
- 2 cups wholemeal flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups lukewarm water
- 1 tsp canola oil
Onion Mix
- 1 onion, finely diced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp carom seeds
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
- 2 tsp crushed ginger
- Red chilli powder to taste
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped (optional)
- Flour for dusting
- Canola oil for drizzling
Place flour, first measure of salt and water in a large mixing bowl and knead together with your hands. You may need to add a little extra water to the dough but only add if needed as dough should remain firm.
Just as dough is about to combine, add oil and mix dough into a large smooth ball. The dough should not stick to your fingers.
Combine onion, second measure of salt, carom seeds, coriander, ginger, chilli powder to taste and chillies (if using) in a bowl and mix together with your fingers.
Break off some dough and roll into a ball slightly larger than a golf ball. Flatten ball with your palms. Place 2 tablespoons of onion mix in centre of flattened dough ball. Take sides of dough and wrap over onion mix. Roll into a ball again and flatten in your palms so that onion mix has spread evenly through middle of dough all the way to sides.
Dust a clean surface with flour and place flattened ball on it. Roll out dough into a circle about 15cm in diameter and 2mm thick.
Repeat until you have made as many kulchas as you require. Any leftover dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Place a flat frying pan over a high heat. Put your rolled kulcha onto the hot pan with no oil. Lightly cook on both sides (about 2 minutes). Drizzle top of kulcha with oil, flip it over and cook until golden brown. Repeat on other side so both sides are golden brown.
Serves 6
REPRODUCED WITH PERMISSION FROM LITTLE INDIA AT HOME. PUBLISHED BY PENGUIN GROUP NZ. RRP $40.00. COPYRIGHT TEXT © LITTLE INDIA®, 2014. COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY © SEAN SHADBOLT, 2014
