Bonus Recipe - Easy Tikka Masala Sauce

Add variety to your diet without breaking the bank. 

For many recipes, an easy way tops the 'hard way'. Exploring other cuisines boosts your palate.

I made this "easy tikka masala sauce" in under thirty minutes:

Easy Tikka Masala Sauce

Note: Cook "mise en place" by having ingredients set out in advance so that you know you have everything. 

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter or oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 tbsp tikka masala paste or spice blend
• 1 can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
• 1 tsp salt, then adjust to taste
• Optional: pinch of sugar, cayenne, or garam masala

If using ground ginger (I did) use 1/4 teaspoon as this is concentrated.

I used 12 ounces of tomato sauce and six ounces of cream. Using coconut or almond milk produces a less creamy sauce. 

The "baseline" recipe is not spicy - Ellen does not like so much heat...I would add more to my portion...

Method

1. Sauté the onion in butter or oil over medium heat until soft, about 5–7 minutes.
2. Add garlic, ginger, and tikka masala paste/spice. Cook about 1 minute.
3. Add the tomato sauce and simmer 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the cream or coconut milk. Simmer another 2–3 minutes.
5. Taste and adjust salt. Add a little sugar if the tomatoes are sharp, cayenne for heat, or garam masala for extra warmth.

This is excellent with chickpeas, chicken, paneer, rice, naan, or roasted vegetables. 

For chickpeas, just drain and rinse a can and simmer them in the finished sauce for about 5–10 minutes. We keep canned chickpeas on hand as an alternative protein source. 

For the easiest possible version, use a good jarred tikka masala paste (I bought online) rather than assembling individual spices. 

The recipe met our needs, served over rice.