
Kandhari Murgh Tikka
Kandhari murgh tikka is bite-sized chicken marinated in yoghurt, pomegranate molasses and warm spices, then grilled until tender with lightly charred edges. It tastes tangy, savoury and gently spicy.
Marinade spices
14 gStirred into the yoghurt marinade (step 4)Everything else
Method
- Soak 3–4 wooden skewers in water.
- Blend 18 g garlic, 6 g fresh ginger and a splash of water to a smooth paste. Set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk 30 g greek yoghurt and 4 g chickpea flour until thick and free of lumps.
- Add the garlic-ginger paste, 84 g pomegranate molasses and the marinade spices to the yoghurt mixture. Stir in salt to taste.
- Add 500 g chicken pieces and turn until fully coated. Cover and marinate for 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge.
- Heat the grill to medium. Thread the chicken onto the soaked skewers and set them on a wire rack.
- Grill for 7–10 minutes, turn the skewers, baste with melted butter and grill for 7 minutes more, until the chicken is cooked through and slightly charred at the edges. Serve warm.
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Garlic

Garlic pasteUse equal weight. Fry gently in oil or ghee with the ginger; incorporates smoothly into curries without visible minced bits.
Garlic powderUse 15% to 20% of the weight (about 1 g for every 5 to 6 g fresh cloves). Whisk into sauces; gives a savoury, toasted garlic flavour without raw pungency.
ShallotUse 1.5 times the weight, very finely minced. Sauté until golden; provides savoury allium sweetness, though it lacks garlic's pungent sulphur bite.

Fresh ginger

Ginger pasteUse equal weight. Sauté in hot fat until the raw allium smell disappears; slightly wetter, but provides identical warmth and pungency.
Ground gingerUse 20% to 25% of the weight (1 g for every 4 to 5 g fresh). Stir into the gravy; adds peppery heat and warmth, though it misses the crisp, zesty kick of raw root.

Greek yoghurt

Hung natural yoghurtUse the same weight and whisk smooth; same thick consistency.
Full-fat natural yoghurtUse 1.25 times the weight and strain through muslin for 30 minutes; looser if not strained.
Hung yogurtUse the same weight; virtually identical.

Chickpea flour

Yellow split pea flourUse 100% of the weight. Many commercial gram flours are milled from split peas; performs identically in pakora batters and kadhi.
CornstarchFor crisping batters or binding cutlets: use 50% to 60% of the weight. Produces a very crisp shell but lacks the earthy, roasted nutty flavour of besan.

Kashmiri chilli powder or mild paprika

Kashmiri chilli powderUse the same weight; this is the first half of the book's option and gives the best red colour with mild heat.
Mild paprikaUse the same weight; add a pinch of cayenne pepper for warmth. Slightly less colour.
PaprikaUse the same weight and add cayenne pepper to taste; works but is less aromatic.

Pomegranate molasses

Pomegranate juiceUse 4 times the weight of juice and simmer down to the original weight; add a pinch of granulated sugar. Closest match.
Tamarind pasteUse 50% of the weight and add jaggery or granulated sugar to taste; more sour and less fruity.
Lemon juiceUse 30% of the weight and add granulated sugar; sharp but lacks the deep fruitiness.

Dried pomegranate seed

Anardana powderUse 80% of the weight; ground seed is stronger, so add early and taste.
Dried pomegranate seed powderUse 90% of the weight; already ground and more concentrated.
Pomegranate powderUse the same weight; less sour, more fruity.

Garam masala

Ground cuminUse 50% of the weight mixed with equal parts ground coriander and a pinch of ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground green cardamom. Sprinkle near the end for a warming finish.
Lentil stew spice mixUse 75% of the weight. Simmer briefly in the gravy; imparts roasted warmth and complexity, though it adds a slight tang and earthy lentil undertone.

Skinless boneless chicken breast

Boneless chicken breastUse the same weight; it is the same cut without the skin, so cook exactly as directed.
Skinless boneless chickenUse the same weight; cut to the same size and cook as directed. It may include mixed white and dark meat, so it stays juicier.
Boneless chicken thighUse the same weight; it is juicier and needs 3–5 minutes longer simmering. Reduce oil slightly if the sauce looks fatty.

Melted butter

Melted gheeUse the same weight; nuttier and keeps better. Reduce salt if the butter was salted.
Vegetable oilUse 80% of the weight; no dairy flavour and less richness. Good for frying, less good for finishing.
Melted unsalted butterUse the same weight; adjust salt in the dish if your butter was salted.
Similar dishes

- Same: Kadhai Chicken Chargha shares garlic, Greek yoghurt, Kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala and salt with this dish, and both marinate chicken before cooking.
- Different: Kadhai Chicken Chargha uses bone-in chicken cooked in vegetable oil with cumin seed, dried red chillies, ginger, ground coriander and turmeric to make a gravy, while this dish uses boneless breast grilled with pomegranate molasses, chickpea flour, dried pomegranate seed and melted butter.

- Same: Tulsi ke Tikke shares with this dish marinated bite-sized chicken tikka cooked with garlic, ginger and garam masala.
- Different: Tulsi ke Tikke uses chicken thigh, basil, cashews, green chilli, oil and chaat masala, and lacks this dish's yoghurt, pomegranate molasses, chickpea flour, Kashmiri chilli, dried pomegranate seeds and butter.

- Same: Khatta Murgh shares chicken, ginger, garlic, Kashmiri chilli powder and garam masala with this dish.
- Different: Khatta Murgh uses bone-in chicken in a vegetable-oil curry with onion, turmeric, coriander, green bird’s eye chilli, sugar and unripe mango, and it lacks this dish’s yoghurt, chickpea flour, pomegranate molasses, dried pomegranate seed, melted butter and grilling.

- Same: Murgh Malai Tikka shares with this dish a Greek yoghurt marinade with garlic, ginger and garam masala and a grilled chicken tikka style.
- Different: Murgh Malai Tikka uses chicken thigh, double cream, cheddar cheese, green bird's-eye chilli, coriander leaf, malt vinegar and cornstarch and is dusted with chaat masala, while this dish uses chicken breast, pomegranate molasses, dried pomegranate seed, chickpea flour and Kashmiri chilli powder.

























