Tikka Masala Sauce

Yum... Tikka Masala Sauce. It's one of the most popular Indian curries. No one knows the exact origin for Chicken Tikka Masala. Some claim that during the British rule of India, an Englishman claimed that his chicken tikka was too dry. The chef got angry and mixed tomato sauce with cream to create a gravy for his chicken. Whatever the origins, this is one of my favorite dishes. The good thing about tikka masala sauce is that it is so versatile. You can make it with chicken, shrimp, or paneer (Indian cheese). Everyone has their own way of making tikka masala. I like to make mine with sour cream instead of cream.

Ingredients:

2 tbs. cooking oil

1 onion (i like to use frozen chopped onions so I don't have to worry about chopping them up)
1/4 cup tomato puree

1 oz chicken tikka masala spice

16 oz sour cream

approx. 1/4 cup - 1/2 cup of whole milk
3-4 tbs butter

Directions:

Heat the oil up in a pot on medium heat. Add the chopped onions. Fry until they start turning brown. Add the tomato puree. Cook for 5 minutes. In a bowl, mix the sour cream with the chicken tikka masala spice. Cook for another 5 minutes. Slowly add the milk till it is the consistency you like. Wait for the gravy to cool. Add to a food processor in small batches until the gravy is smooth. Return to pot. At this point you can add chicken or paneer and cook on medium to low for about 20 minutes. If you are adding shrimp cook for only 5-10 minutes or your shrimp will overcook. Add the butter at the very end. If the gravy is too thick, add some more milk. Serve with rice, naan, or flatbread.