Ginger and Garlic made into a paste - adds umami to the dish Heavy cream - Helps keep the chicken moist Cream cheese - Adds tang and richness Black salt (Kala namak) - Adds a tangy and tart flavor Cinnamon powder - Adds a subtle sweetness and back of the throat spice Cumin powder - Adds nuttiness and warmth Coriander powder - Adds warmth and earthiness Dried methi leaves - Adds a bitterness and earthiness to the chicken Thai chili - Adds an herbal and subtle heat Cilantro - Adds fresh herby taste. Can substitute with mint instead Sea salt - Helps season the chicken and brings out the flavor of the other spices Sugar - Helps the chicken brown and adds a subtle sweetness
However, if you don’t have a blender or if you are strapped on time, you can easily buy pre-processed ginger garlic paste from the Indian grocery store. You want ~1.5 tablespoons of ginger garlic paste for 1 inch (8 grams) of ginger and 3 cloves (13 grams) of garlic. For our malai chicken tikka kebabs, the marinated chicken will be placed in a wide bowl that can be closed with a lid or foil. The hot smoking coal will be placed in the center of the bowl and closed so that the smoke can be trapped with the chicken. As a result, the chicken will have a smoky aroma and taste that is reminiscent of cooking the chicken in a charcoal tandoor.
