Chicken Tikka Masala

Whisk the yogurt with half the ginger-garlic paste, one third of the garam masala, two thirds of the Kashmiri chili, and half the salt. Coat the chicken thigh pieces thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours — overnight is better. The acid and live cultures in the yogurt tenderize the meat while the chili stains it a deep brick red.

Char the chicken hard and fast under a grill, in a screaming-hot cast-iron pan, or over open flame. You want deep blackened spots while the inside stays just cooked — about 3-4 minutes per side. Do not cook it through to dry; it will finish in the gravy. The scorched marinade is the soul of 'tikka' and brings the smoke.

Heat the ghee and fry the onion until deep golden, 8-10 minutes. Add the remaining ginger-garlic paste and cook off its rawness, 1 minute. Add the remaining Kashmiri chili and the passata with the remaining salt. Bhuna — fry and stir over medium heat — until the tomato darkens, tightens, and the fat splits out at the edges, about 10-12 minutes. This frying, not mere simmering, is what builds depth.

Fold the charred chicken (and any resting juices) into the masala base with enough water to make a coating gravy. Simmer gently 6-8 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and has soaked up the sauce. Stir in the cream and the remaining garam masala, then crush the dried fenugreek leaves between your palms and scatter them in. Simmer 2 more minutes — do not boil hard once the cream is in — and rest off the heat before serving.