Mughal v Weegie

The debate rages as to whether the beloved chicken tikka masala originated in the pre-colonisation Mughal Empire, or in Ahmed Aslam Ali's kitchen in Glasgow.  To be honest, I don't care.  I just want to eat it.  It's easily my second favourite indian curry dish (first place is bagged by saag gosht, a tasty lamb-spinach confection of delight).  So, whether the origins lie on the subcontinent, or in Scotland's largest city, tonight it's being cooked in Hamilton. 

As an aside, a quick lesson in linguistics - tikka refers to the fact that the meat is grilled prior to being added to the curry sauce.  Masala simply means mixed spices, so don't worry if a masala recipe calls for neither 'garam masala' nor 'masala wine'.  You enjoy the wine!! 

Marinade
1 cup plain yoghurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
salt, to taste (up to about 4 tsp)
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 long skewers (ease of grilling)

Sauce

1 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
salt, to taste (up to about 1 tbsp)
1 tin tomatoes / tomato sauce
1 cup coconut milk or cream
1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped (garnish)
cooked rice, to serve

1. Combine all marinade ingreadients, stir through chicken, cover and chill for an hour. 
2. Preheat grill.  Thread chicken onto skewers, place on baking tray under grill and cook for about 5 minutes on each side (discard marinade).
3. Melt butter in large, heavy pan over medium heat and saute jalapeno and garlic. 
4. Add spices and salt, stir in tomatoes and coconut.  Simmer over low heat until sauce thickens (about 20 minutes). 
5. Add the grilled chicken (remove from skewers) and simmer for further 10 minutes. 
6. Serve on rice, sprinkled with fresh coriander. 

Nb: Coriander is also known as cilantro, for those hailing from North America.