Easy Homemade Tikka Masala Spice Mix Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is tikka spice made of? ›

Tikka curry powder is a medium-heat blend of ground spices including ginger and roasted coriander seed, combined with garlic and coriander leaf. Ideal for Chicken Tikka and Chicken Tikka Masala.

I would use some combinatioana of garam masala, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric and chilli powder).

Pro-Tip – How to make a hotter version of Chicken Tikka Masala. Add in 1-2 tsp of hot chilli powder with the spice ingredients when you're making the sauce. Alternatively, you can add in 1-2 fresh red chillies (finely chopped) when you add in the red bell peppers. Or you could do both if you like it really spicy!

Tikka masala is pieces of meat or chicken marinated with spices, whereas garam masala is the term used for 'hot spices' that are not spicy but can keep the body warm. Garam masala powders may contain chilli and peppers, although they can be aromatic but are not spicy.

Ultimately both curry powder and masala are blended spice mixes that can be added to food to pack a spicy and aromatic kick. In the end, the difference boils down to the different mix of spices, masala being more of a warming aromatic blend and curry powder being more of an earthy blend.

Because of its components – coriander, cumin, cardamom, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, etc., Tikka Masala is a solid choice to imitate the flavor of garam masala. Therefore, you can use this spice blend in a recipe that calls for Garam Masala in the same quantity, especially for meat preparations.

Easiest: Masala Curry Powder

If you're in a pinch and only have a few ingredients on hand, stick to tried and true curry powder as a good garam masala replacement. Curry powder doesn't have the same warming spices, but it does help to provide a nice amount of flavor depth to curry dishes.

Boneless chicken traditionally baked in a tandoor oven then coated in a creamy tomato sauce, the tikka masala combines the creaminess of milder curries with a hint of spice from hotter variants to form the perfect medium dish.

One of these is a style of chicken which is known as butter chicken in India and chicken tikka masala in the UK. The inventors of these two dishes came from what is today Pakistan. Chicken tikka masala is made of chicken that has been roasted and then served in a rich curry “sauce”.

What is better than chicken tikka masala? ›

Butter chicken is a healthier option than tikka masala. Tikka masala has a shocking 400–500 calories per serving on average, but a serving of butter chicken may have 438 calories. If you're concerned with the amount of fat it has, you can always switch to low-fat substitutes for butter and heavy cream.

Tikka Masala is a tomato and cream-based sauce that's smoky from the chargrilled chicken, rich and creamy, with a slight sweetness and tanginess with mild heat (although we like it hot!) punctuated by earthy spices, ginger and garlic.

Can I Use Cumin Instead of Garam Masala? Yes! To substitute cumin for garam masala, try a 1:1 ratio of cumin to garam masala and adjust to taste, you may have to use up to a 2:1 ratio cumin to garam masala. Consider using a 4:1 mix of cumin and allspice to get a closer flavor to garam masala.

Many people think that allspice is a mix of spices, but it isn't. See what we mean? They're two different products altogether. Mixed spice is sweet, and allspice is more earthy and spicy.