Chicken Masala

Chicken masala is a ground spice blend built around coriander, chilli, cumin, turmeric and warm spices, balanced for chicken curry. Beyond the everyday curry blend, there are masalas for specific dishes: butter chicken, a mild, creamy tomato gravy, chicken 65, the fiery fried starter from Chennai, chilli chicken and lollipop from the Indo-Chinese menu, and broast, the Pakistani-style fried chicken with a crisp, spiced coating.

Choose a curry masala for a gravy dish, a fry masala for starters, and a recipe packet when you want a specific restaurant dish with no guesswork. Many South Indian chicken masalas are hot and heavy on fennel and pepper, while Pakistani packets are strongly seasoned and often salted. Larger tubs are handy for families who cook chicken curry every week.

For fried dishes, mix the masala with yoghurt, ginger garlic paste and a little lemon juice, coat the chicken and leave it for at least an hour, or overnight in the fridge. For curries, fry the masala in oil after the onions until it smells cooked. Compare tandoori and tikka masala for grilled chicken, karahi and korma masala for gravies, and the full range of masalas.