Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken tikka masala is boneless chicken marinated in yogurt and spices, char-grilled as tikka, then simmered in a smooth sauce of tomato, cream and warming spices such as cumin, coriander, garam masala and paprika.

Mild, rich and mellow, it is usually finished with a swirl of cream and fresh coriander and served with basmati rice or warm naan to scoop up the sauce.

The dish's origin is famously disputed. Many trace it to South Asian restaurants in Britain — a popular story credits a Glasgow chef who added a tin of tomato soup and cream to tikka for a customer who wanted more sauce — while others point to Punjabi roots close to butter chicken.

Whatever its birthplace, chicken tikka masala became a symbol of Britain's love of curry, once called a 'true British national dish', and is now enjoyed around the world.