Chicken tikka

Chicken tikka
Chicken tikka
CourseHors d'oeuvre
Region or stateSouth Asia
Associated cuisineBangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani
Main ingredientsChicken, curd (yogurt), red chili powder, ginger and garlic paste, lemon juice
VariationsPaneer tikka
  • Cookbook: Chicken tikka
  •   Media: Chicken tikka

Chicken tikka is a dish of roasted marinated chicken pieces traditionally cooked in a tandoor. It is associated with Mughal cuisine, reflecting Central and South Asian cooking techniques and the use of yogurt-based marinades and spices. It is now popular across South Asia and worldwide. The dish later served as the basis for the British curry chicken tikka masala.”

History

The English word "tikka" is borrowed from Urdu/Hindi (تکہ)/टिक्का tikkā "small pieces of meat", itself a borrowing from Classical Persian تکه tikka, "pieces".[1]

Chicken tikka was created in the reign of the Mughal Emperor Babur (r. 1526–1530) by marinating pieces of chicken meat in yoghurt and spices, and then grilling them in a tandoor oven.[2]

Dish

Chicken tikka consists of small pieces of boneless chicken baked after marinating in Indian spices and dahi (yogurt). It is flavourful and tender, essentially a boneless version of tandoori chicken.[9]

The pieces are brushed with ghee (clarified butter) at intervals, while being continuously fanned, to increase flavour. It is typically eaten with green coriander and tamarind chutney, served with onion rings and lemon, or used in preparing chicken tikka masala.[10]

Variants

It is a dish in Punjabi cuisine. The Kashmiri version is grilled over red-hot coals, and does not always contain boneless pieces.

A chicken tikka sizzler has the dish served on a heated plate with onions.

The Afghan variant is less spicy than those in the Indian subcontinent, and can use beef and lamb in place of chicken.[11][12]

In Britain, the dish was transformed in the late 20th century by the addition of tomato, cream, and spices into chicken tikka masala.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ "tikka". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. OCLC 1032680871.
  2. ^ a b c Iyer 2022, pp. 132–134.
  3. ^ Collingham, Elizabeth M. (2006). Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors. Oxford University Press. pp. 27, 232. ISBN 0-19-517241-8.
  4. ^ Godeau, Lucie (2 August 2009). "Chicken tikka masala claims its origins in Scotland". The Sydney Morning Herald. Agence France Presse. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  5. ^ Glenn, Jane K. (2022). The joy of eating : a guide to food in modern pop culture. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 238. ISBN 978-1-4408-6210-6. OCLC 1264746520.
  6. ^ Sen, Colleen Taylor (2004). Food Culture in India. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 137. ISBN 0-313-32487-5.
  7. ^ Boyer, Christopher R. (2014). "Planet Taco: A Global History of Mexican Food". Hispanic American Historical Review. 94: 153–154. doi:10.1215/00182168-2390303. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  8. ^ Helstosky, Carol (2008). Pizza: A Global History. London: Reaktion. pp. 21–22. ISBN 978-1-86189-391-8.
  9. ^ Chapman, Pat (1993). Curry Club Tandoori and Tikka Dishes. London: Piatkus. ISBN 0-7499-1283-9.
  10. ^ "Chicken Tikka Recipes". Deccan Chronicle. 12 January 2019. Archived from the original on 24 January 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  11. ^ Chapman, Pat (2007). India: Food & Cooking. London: New Holland Publishers. ISBN 978-1-84537-619-2.
  12. ^ "Popular hariyali chicken tikka is mouthwatering". Gulf Times. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2019.

Sources