Description
Make a rich, creamy, and deeply flavored Garlic Tikka Masala Sauce from scratch for your favorite Indian dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced (use more for extra flavor)
- 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 heat preference)
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup water or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the butter and 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, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- 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. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
- Add the salt and sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 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 if you used a standard blender.
- Stir in the heavy cream until the sauce is uniformly colored and creamy. Heat gently for 2 to 3 minutes, but do not boil after adding cream.
- Taste and adjust salt if necessary. Garnish with fresh cilantro before serving over cooked chicken, paneer, or vegetables.
Notes
- For a deeper garlic flavor, you can roast half of the garlic cloves before adding them to the sauce base.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, simmer uncovered for an extra 5 to 10 minutes before adding the cream.
- Use good quality garam masala for the best final flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Main Dish Sauce
- Method: Stovetop Simmering
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Unsaturated Fat: 5
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 9
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 40