DS Forums

 
 

Tikka Massala - Red, Orange or Beige?


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 04-06-2009, 17:03
degsyhufc
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791

Just watching Heston's program about his perfect CTM.

He showed an Indian restaurant preparing the chicken in a marinade with a bright red chilli powder which obviously will help with the colour.
When he did his own though the marinade was beige and looked anemic. Not like you hope chicken tikka would look.
The final dish finished up a reddy brown with the tomato puree and passata in the sauce.


In Indian restaurants/takeaways around here the tikka massala is almost always red (although pubs serve it orange/brown - probably frozen microwaved meal ). I assume they use food colouring to cheat, but it looks the part.

Supermarket sauces are usually orangey, browney, beigey coloured, and though it may be more natural, I still like the bright red to remind me of those greasy takeaways



What do you prefer? and if you make your own what do you do? Do you add loads of red chilli powder or put in some colouring to get that authentic british effect
degsyhufc is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 04-06-2009, 19:10
TommyGavin76
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 16,886
The food colouring in Chicken Tikka Massala is responsible for most stomach upsets people get when they eat Indian, not the spice. I've seen reports where some contained 10 or 20 times the safe levels.

Not that i'd eat it at an Indian anyway, not very adventurous.
TommyGavin76 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2009, 22:39
bubbsy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,607
I've only ever seen it as an orangey-brown colour, but I've only ever eaten it as a frozen ready meal from the supermarket.
bubbsy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-2009, 06:48
dollylovesshoes
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: East London
Posts: 14,258
Food colouring contains tartrazine (sp) which can cause upset tummys and also make you thirsty.
If you have a fresh herb spice shop near you look out for beetroot powder. You can add that when making a curry and it gives that red look.
dollylovesshoes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-2009, 10:14
grassmarket
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 23,326
You certainly would be very unwise to rely on chilli powder to give it the bright pillar box red colour. Not a mistake you would make twice.
grassmarket is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-2009, 13:53
degsyhufc
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Up North
Posts: 58,791
In the program the restaurant in India was actually making butter chicken which is classed as the authentic version of tikka massala and the chefs marinated a whole chicken in ginger, garlic and chilli powder to make the initial chicken tikka. It was a very vibrant red powder, seemed a lot redder than chilli powder you can get in supermarkets. The butter chicken was a quite lightly coloured dish in the end.
degsyhufc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-2009, 14:22
grassmarket
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 23,326
Actually on thinking about it I suppose you could use paprika, which is a very very mild form of chilli powder.
grassmarket is online now   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 17:26.