“One of the favorite dishes of my mom is chicken tikka masala,” says chef Johan Movido, development chef for food service chains for southeast Asia for Kerry Manufacturing Incorporated. His extensive experience in creating flavorful recipes makes it easy for him to come up with flavorful dishes for his loved ones.
“My mom is very active in working out and she needs her daily protein intake that’s why I’m presenting this with prawns since my mom loves seafood,” he adds.
This creamy, flavorful dish is best paired with basmati which is also high in protein, making it the perfect dish from a son who wants his mom to be in the best of health.
“One of the favorite dishes of my mom is chicken tikka masala. That’s why I’m presenting this with prawns since my mom loves seafood.”
Johan Movido
What is masala?
Masala is a kind of sauce that uses a blend of spices popular in South Asian cuisine. A masala mix may come in dry form or wet like a paste, with its rich, earthy flavors creating a beautiful complex depth of flavor coming from the spices used. A typical masala combines any or all of these spices: cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom, with black peppercorns to round out the flavors. Masala is better appreciated when one thinks of it as “spicy,” which refers to the layers of spices that creates the flavor profile, rather than “hot” which may only refer to how much chili is used.
Recipe Tips
- Pat the prawns dry before cooking. Removing excess moisture helps the prawns sear properly and prevents them from steaming in the pan.
- Toast the spices gently. You may toast the masala spice blend in a hot pan before using to help release the oils and deepen the flavor of the sauce.
- Use full-fat coconut cream for the creamiest sauce. It creates a velvety texture and balances the spices beautifully.
- Leave the prawn tails on for extra flavor and presentation. The shells and heads help retain moisture and add more seafood flavor to the dish.
- To make this dish as close to authentic South Asian fare as possible, pair it with fragrant rice like basmati. You may lightly season the rice, too, with turmeric to make turmeric rice. Garlic rice works especially well because it absorbs the flavorful masala sauce beautifully.
- Add vegetables for a fuller meal. Make this dish heftier by adding spinach, green peas, chickpeas or roasted cauliflower. These vegetables can easily be stirred into the sauce without overpowering the prawns.
