Tikka Masala

Name: Tikka Masala
Yield: Varies; typically prepared as a wet sauce rather than a stored dry blend
Ingredients: Kashmiri chile powder (for color) — 2 tbsp; Cumin — 1 tbsp; Coriander seed — 1 tbsp; Garam masala — 1 tsp; Ground ginger — 1 tsp; Garlic powder — 1 tsp; Turmeric — 1/2 tsp; Ajwain — 1/2 tsp; mixed into yogurt as a marinade base; Builds on tandoori masala with the addition of a tomato-cream sauce base — garam masala; Kashmiri chile; cumin; coriander; fenugreek leaf (kasuri methi); combined into a simmered sauce rather than a dry spice mix alone

The Quirky Foodster Team

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Varies; typically prepared as a wet sauce rather than a stored dry blend

Servings

Ingredients

Kashmiri chile powder (for color) — 2 tbsp
Cumin — 1 tbsp
Coriander seed — 1 tbsp
Garam masala — 1 tsp
Ground ginger — 1 tsp
Garlic powder — 1 tsp
Turmeric — 1/2 tsp
Ajwain — 1/2 tsp
mixed into yogurt as a marinade base
Builds on tandoori masala with the addition of a tomato-cream sauce base — garam masala
Kashmiri chile
cumin
coriander
fenugreek leaf (kasuri methi)
combined into a simmered sauce rather than a dry spice mix alone

Method

Dry spice components are bloomed in oil or ghee before the tomato and cream are added.
Bloom ground spices briefly in hot oil at the start of sauce preparation.

Origin: North India / British-Indian diaspora cuisine (chicken tikka masala’s exact origin is contested between the two, a well-documented culinary history point worth a brief note).

Use: The base flavoring for the sauce itself, not a marinade or finishing sprinkle.

Classic Dishes: Chicken tikka masala (the dish most associated with the blend, whose ultimate origin — India or the UK — remains genuinely debated among food historians).

Storage: As a prepared sauce, keeps 3-4 days refrigerated; the dry spice component alone keeps 6 months to a year sealed.

Variations: Countless restaurant and home variations exist; the tomato-cream sauce format distinguishes it clearly from the drier tandoori masala it builds upon.

Substitutions: Garam masala plus Kashmiri chile powder and yogurt as a simplified approximation. Tandoori masala plus tomato purée and cream.