Chicken Tawa Masala

About this recipe

Tawa masala is the dish for people who think dry curries are more interesting than wet ones. Chicken breast strips are charred on a flat griddle pan, developing crispy, crunchy edges while staying tender within. Then everything happens on the same hot pan: finely chopped onion and tomato soften in the residual heat, clinging to the chicken rather than dissolving into a sauce. The result tastes like a stir-fry but feels more like a dry curry, with every element tasting distinct yet bound together by the spices. The hero ingredients are the kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves, crushed between your palms just before use) and fresh ginger-garlic paste, which build the flavour base without adding liquid. Kashmiri chilli powder colours the dish a warm red, garam masala rounds out the spice blend. The butter and oil work together to create a base that prevents sticking while keeping the chicken moist. Capsicum julienned adds colour and slight sweetness. The technique is all about high heat and speed. Marinate your chicken strips in ginger-garlic, chilli powder, salt, and pepper for 15 minutes—this seasons them all the way through and helps them stay juicy even at high temperatures. Heat your tawa (griddle) until it's very hot, then brown the chicken strips quickly on both sides, getting good colour but not cooking them through. Remove them. In the same pan with butter, cook onions until golden, push them aside, and char the capsicum lightly. Add tomatoes and mash them with the back of a spatula until you have a thick, chunky masala. Return the chicken, toss aggressively for 4 minutes until everything is shiny and coated. The final crush of kasuri methi should happen just before serving, so the dried herb is still fragrant. Serve straight off the tawa, on the same hot pan if possible, with paratha or kulcha. This is a quick weeknight dinner that tastes special. Store leftovers in the fridge for two days.