Turkey Tikka Masala
- Total Time
- 1½ hours, plus 4 hours' marinating
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2teaspoons garam masala
- 2teaspoons ground coriander
- 2teaspoons ground cumin
- 1tablespoon paprika
- 4teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1teaspoon kosher salt
- 6cloves garlic, finely grated or pounded in a mortar and pestle
- 4teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
- 1cup whole-milk yogurt
- 4cups cooked turkey (about 1 pound), cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 4tablespoons ghee or neutral-tasting oil
- 1large onion, thinly sliced
- 6cardamom pods, crushed
- 1bay leaf
- 1teaspoon paprika
- ½teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1teaspoon garam masala
- 1½teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
- 4cloves garlic, finely grated or pounded in a mortar and pestle
- 2serrano peppers, finely chopped
- 2tablespoons tomato paste
- 1(28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 2cups heavy cream
- ¾cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, plus a few sprigs for garnish
- Juice of 1 small lemon
- Steamed basmati rice, for serving
For the Marinade
For the Masala
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
609 calories; 43 grams fat; 21 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 29 grams protein; 1001 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, stir together garam masala, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, kosher salt, garlic, ginger and yogurt. Fold in the turkey. Cover and chill for 4 hours or overnight.
- Step 2
Make the masala: On the stove top, heat a Dutch oven or similar pot over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons ghee or neutral oil, then add onion, cardamom, bay leaf, paprika, pepper flakes (if using), garam masala and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are brown and tender, 10 to 15 minutes, adjusting temperature as needed so the onion doesn’t burn.
- Step 3
Make space among onions in center of pot, and add 1 tablespoon ghee or neutral oil. When ghee has melted or oil begins to shimmer, add ginger, garlic and serrano peppers, and sizzle for about 10 seconds. Combine that mixture with the spiced onions. Stir in tomato paste. Add tomatoes and their juices, crushing them with your hands as you add them. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until the liquid is almost gone, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Step 4
Add cream and chopped cilantro to the pot. Season with 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 40 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
- Step 5
In the meantime, line a baking sheet with foil, turn on oven broiler, and arrange an oven rack about 6 inches from broiling unit. Lay the marinated turkey on the foil in a single layer. Stir any remaining marinade into the sauce. Broil until turkey begins to blacken in spots, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
- Step 6
Use a hand-held blender (or blender) to purée the sauce, then add turkey and return the sauce to a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just warmed through. Just before serving, stir in lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Step 7
To serve, garnish with cilantro sprigs. Serve hot, with steamed basmati rice. Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Private Notes
Comments
This is a distinctly north-Indian dish. Adding coconut milk will bring a unnatural south-Indian flavor to it. If you have to do away with dairy entirely, 1. you will have to use lemon instead of yogurt to tenderize the meat. 2. Then add either cashew or almond milk instead of cream, but beef up the amount of spice to counter-balance the sweetness; so substitute 1 tbsp cayenne for 1 tbsp paprika
I spent 3 days cooking thanksgiving dinner for 8 guests and their comments: " ... remember that turkey masala you made last year? Can you make it again?" It was clearly memorable enough to surmount an heirloom turkey, 8 side dishes, 4 appetizers, 2 pies, a cake, 2 homemade ice creams and champagne. Yep. That good.
Holy cow this was good. Didn’t have cooked turkey or chicken on hand, so I marinaded raw diced chicken breasts overnight, then sautéed them separately while I made the sauce. I combined the two after blending the sauce and continued to heat awhile to meld the flavors. Didn’t have cilantro and the fiancé hates onions, so left those out, and used 1/4 tsp ground cardamom in place of pods. So good I stood over the stove and dunked naan into the sauce until I started feeling bad about myself.
Yes making this again for an evening dinner,it’s hard to improve on the flavours! I just use cooked Chook unless it’s Christmas..we really don’t get much Turkey Lurkey in NZ so we make do!
This recipe is a little bit prep heavy, but nothing too challenging. The flavors are excellent. I don’t make it with turkey, I use boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into about thirds or quarters. Marinate them in the yogurt marinade, broil them, and pop into the sauce, which I preferred to blend . About 20 minutes of cooking makes them perfectly tender. I leave out the fresh chili, reduce the cream, and tweak the spices slightly. But this is a really satisfying dish and makes awesome leftovers.
Yummy use of leftover turkey. Keep the chunks large as mine ended up in shreds once it was done cooking. Mango lassi ice was perfect dessert with this.
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