Description
Make a rich, restaurant-style Tikka Masala sauce at home with a pronounced garlic flavor and a smooth, creamy texture.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup water or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar (optional, balances acidity)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (or full-fat coconut cream for dairy-free)
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi), crushed
Instructions
- Melt the butter or heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and grated ginger. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Stir in the cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, and cayenne pepper. Cook the spices for 30 seconds, stirring constantly until aromatic.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and water or broth. Add the salt and sugar, if using. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot partially, and let the sauce simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. This allows the flavors to meld.
- Remove the sauce from the heat. Use an immersion blender or carefully transfer the sauce to a standard blender to blend until completely smooth. Return the sauce to the pot.
- Stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated and the sauce is uniformly creamy. Heat gently, but do not boil after adding the cream.
- Crush the dried fenugreek leaves between your palms and stir them into the sauce.
- Taste and adjust salt or spice levels as needed. Use immediately with cooked chicken, paneer, or vegetables.
Notes
- For an extra smooth sauce, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve after blending.
- If you prefer a milder garlic flavor, reduce the amount of fresh garlic to 4 cloves.
- This sauce pairs well with grilled chicken tikka pieces or cubes of paneer.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop Simmering
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup sauce
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 13
- Unsaturated Fat: 9
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 65