Chicken tikka masala
A curry of grilled, marinated chicken pieces served in a spiced, creamy tomato-based sauce. It is commonly associated with British Indian cuisine.
Chicken tikka: Marinated chicken cooked in a tandoor or other intense heat, often served in pieces. Grilled tikka supplies the chicken at the center of the curry.
British Indian cuisine: A cuisine shaped by South Asian cooking traditions and the tastes and conditions of Britain. Chicken tikka masala became one of its best-known dishes.
Yogurt marinade: A seasoned mixture containing yogurt used to coat food before cooking. It seasons and coats chicken before the high-heat grilling step.
Butter chicken: A North Indian curry of tandoor-cooked chicken in a smooth, buttery tomato sauce. It is a close relative, but its culinary lineage and customary sauce differ.
Garam masala: A variable blend of ground spices used in South Asian cooking. Its warm spices commonly season the sauce and chicken.
South Asian diaspora: Communities of South Asian origin living outside South Asia and maintaining varied cultural ties. Migrant cooks and restaurateurs helped establish the dish in Britain.
Maillard reaction: A set of chemical reactions between amino acids and reducing sugars that browns food under heat. It helps create the browned, savory crust on grilled chicken.
Chicken korma: A South Asian curry whose sauce is often enriched with yogurt, cream, nuts, or seeds. Its typically mild, nut-enriched sauce contrasts with tikka masala's tomato-led profile.
Tomato sauce: A sauce made primarily from tomatoes, often seasoned and cooked until thickened. Tomato gives the curry its characteristic tang and red-orange body.
Glasgow: The largest city in Scotland, situated on the River Clyde. A Glasgow restaurant is central to one famous, contested origin story.