Tracing the origins of chicken tikka masala and best places to get it in Mumbai

If someone were to ask you what the most globally famous Indian dish is yoursquod probably answer chicken tikka masala But herersquos the funny part the dish technically speaking isnrsquot Indian at all Urban legend has it that it was invented in a curry house in Glasgow in the 1970s after a customer sent back a chicken tikka dish complaining that it was too dry ldquoThe chef then opened two cans of Campbell tomatoes added some spices and slathered butter on top of the tikka and voila Chicken tikka masala was bornrdquo explains culinary anthropologist Kurush Dalal The dish quickly became so popular in the UK that it has often been hailed as the countryrsquos national dish and actor Tom Cruise recently enjoyed two servings of it at Asharsquos an Indian restaurant in Birmingham while shooting for a movie thereKurush Dalalhe chicken tikka masala we get in India is a lot more ramped up than the version in the UK Dalal says adding ldquoThere it is a much milder gravy and a lot of it comes from a PunjabiBangladeshi union in the kitchen They created an entire tradition where there would be a large handi with a tomatoonion gravy in the middle of the kitchen which the first guy who came into work in the morning would probably make and keep One large spoonful with different combinations of spices would make for a number of dishesrdquoNonetheless the dish has become a symbol for Indian food across the world and if you want a taste of it closer to home here are some of the best places to find it in the cityNorthern delightThis restaurant is famed for the quality of its north Indian food with a lipsmacking dish called nimbu chicken also on the menu Their murgh tikka masala is an authentic rendition of the classic itemTime 11 am to 10 pmAt Urban Tadka Juhu Versova Link Road Andheri WestCall 26328172Rs 364 Fix for the nightBack when things were normal and night owls would exit the bars in Bandra after the last call for drinks many of them would make a pitstop at this afterhours adda before heading back home Start your meal with their scrumptious kebabs before moving on to chicken tikka masala for the main courseTime 11 am to 10 pmAt Sigdi Abbas Compound 29th Road Bandra WestCall 26557906Rs 240Taste of the streetIt started off as a humble streetside kebab place on Hill Road in Bandra West But this venture has now expanded to open multiple outlets which have chicken tikka masala on the menu Itrsquos also one of the few places in the city that offers khiri a kebab made with goat uddersTime 11 am to 1 amAt Ayazrsquos ndash The Kebab Place multiple outletsCall 989259990Rs 299Old is goldA byword for Mughlai cuisine in the city this eatery has stood the test of time and maintained its quality over the yearsTime 11 am to 12 amAT Jaffer Bhairsquos Delhi Darbar Lady Jamshedji Road Mahim WestCall 24465651Rs 598Try this at homeChef Lynston Correa who runs the home kitchen From Farm to Fork shared this recipe for chicken tikka masala that you can tryIngredientsFor the marinade 500 gm chicken leg boneless Salt to taste 1 while lime 1tbsp gingergarlic paste 3 tbsp mustard oil 2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder frac12 tsp jeera powder frac12 tsp garam masala 2 tbsp hung curd A pinch of dry kasuri methiFor grinding in a mixer 2 tbsp butter 12 bay leaves 3 cardamoms 1 black cardamom 1 big onion sliced 23 tomatoes roughly chopped 810 cashews 1 tbsp gingergarlic paste 23 spicy green chillies 1 tsp spicy chilli powder 1 big cup of waterCook for 15 minutes on a lowmedium flame Once cooled pureacutee itFor assembling 1 tbsp butter 1 onion finely chopped 1 tomato finely chopped 1 tsp gingergarlic paste 1 tsp coriander powder frac12 tsp jeera powder 1 tbsp chilli powderMethodPut the pureacutee masala cook on a low flame cover and cook for five minutes let the oil leave the pan Add a bit of water if itrsquos too thick Add the chicken tikka pieces into the gravy and cook for five to 10 minutes on a low flame Add fresh chopped coriander 1 teaspoon of sugar or honey a pinch of garam masala powder and kasuri methi and two tablespoons of fresh cream Taste for seasoning and serve