CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

• 3 tbsp A Spice Affair's Garam Masala Spices
• 1½ tspn Himalayan Pink Salt
• 1 ½ cups whole-milk yogurt
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
• 6 large cloves garlic, finely grated
•  2-inch piece of ginger, finely grated (or 1 tspn Ginger Ground)
• 4 boneless chicken breasts sliced into bite size chunks 
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, butter or ghee
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can whole tomatoes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 ½ cups chopped cilantro leaves

PREPARATION

1. In a large bowl, whisk 1 cup yogurt, lemon juice, 3 cloves of garlic, half the ginger, 1 ½ tablespoons of Garam Masala Spices and the Himalayan Pink Salt. Add chicken chunks and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight. Cover remaining spice mixture
2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and stir occasionally until lightly browned, for about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, Ginger Ground, 3 cloves of garlic, and 1 ½ tablespoons of Garam Masala Spices and cook, stirring frequently until spices are aromatic and tomato paste has started browning on the bottom of the pot, about 4 minutes
3. Crush tomatoes with your hands and pour them with any tomato sauce left in the can to the pot. Add the heavy cream and 1 cup of boiled water. Season with salt and pepper and stir, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low, stirring once in a while until flavors blend and the sauce slightly thickens, 25-35 minutes
4. Pre-heat the broiler and place the oven rack on the top shelf
5. Using a rimmed baking sheet, remove chicken from the marinade, and place them on the rack inside the pan. Broil until lightly blackened in spots, 5 to 7 minutes on the first side, before flipping the chicken chunks and broiling them for another 2 to 3 minutes
6. Remove chicken from the oven and transfer to masala sauce. Add the remaining ½ cup yogurt and let it simmer on low-medium heat until chicken is cooked through and sauce is pleasantly condensed, 10 to 15 minutes
7. Transfer the Chicken Tikka Masala to four bowls and garnish with cilantro
8. Serve with rice or buttered naan bread for dipping