Lamb & Eggplant Tikka Masala

Lamb & Eggplant Tikka Masala ~ tikka masala is probably the most popular Indian dish on the planet, and with good reason…it’s creamy, aromatic, and so satisfying!

My Chicken Tikka Masala was so good I could hardly wait to try other versions. Chicken is the most common, but tikka masala  is also made with lamb, fish, or the Indian cheese, paneer. I planned a vegetarian dish, but at the last minute switched to lamb and eggplant, that combination is so lush. I love curries of all kinds, but Tikka Masala (tikka meaning ‘chunks’ or ‘bits’, and masala meaning a mix of spices)  is a gentler dish, where the spices are more muted and the focus is on large chunks of marinated and then grilled meat. The sauce is tomato based, and the distinctive bright orange color comes from the addition of heavy cream, or, in this case, coconut milk, which I think is a little lighter and balances out the richness of the lamb.

Tikka masala was actually invented in British Indian restaurants, so it’s not authentically Indian, but more of a 20th century fusion dish. If you’re not familiar with Indian food and you want to ease into it, this is a good one to start with.

I used a dry saute method for the chunks of eggplant, which I love because it intensifies the flavor and avoids the issue of the eggplant soaking up fat or oil like a sponge. In spite of the long list of spices, this dish is very quick to put together, especially if you mix the meat and marinade in the morning, or better yet, the night before. Serve the tikka masala with basmati rice and some yogurt and chutney on the side. It’s pure fall comfort food, with a kick.

Reader Rave ~

“Today was the second time I made this, but this time I happened to have chicken thighs in the fridge. Just want to say, very nice recipe, had 3 pounds of meat so doubled the tomatoes but tripled the spices, onions and who knows with the egg plant. Loved the marinade/broil of the meat and the dry eggplant saute, really comes out so everything is perfectly cooked. ”  ~ Alfie

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3 from 20 votes

Lamb & Eggplant Tikka Masala

Lamb & Eggplant Tikka Masala ~ tikka masala is probably the most popular Indian dish on the planet, and with good reason...it's creamy, aromatic, and so satisfying!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Author Sue Moran

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

for the lamb

• 1 lb good quality lamb cut in large pieces
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger

for the sauce:

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium white or yellow onion thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 10 cardamom pods crushed
• 4 small dried hot chilies crushed, seeds and all (adjust to suit your taste)
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp salt
• 28 oz can of good quality crushed tomatoes you can use whole tomatoes and crush them yourself
• 1 medium eggplant
• 1 cup full fat coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp of chopped fresh cilantro plus more for garnish

Instructions

• Put the lamb, yogurt, and spices in a bowl and mix until everything is well combined and the lamb is completely coated.. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours (or even better, overnight) to marinate.
• Put the meat on a foil covered baking sheet (leave the yogurt coating on) and put under the broiler for about 10 minutes until the surface starts to char. The lamb will not be completely cooked, it will finish cooking in the sauce. Set the meat aside.
• For the sauce, heat the 3 Tbsp olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot and saute the onions, tomato paste, spices, garlic and ginger and salt for abut 10 minutes, stirring often so it won't scorch.
• Add the crushed tomatoes to the pot and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Meanwhile cut the eggplant in large bite sized chunks. Heat a cast iron skillet (or similar pan) over medium high heat. Add the eggplant (with no oil) to the pan and saute, stirring often to prevent sticking, until the eggplant is softened and browned, but still firm, about 10 minutes.
• Add the coconut milk, cilantro, lamb and eggplant to the sauce and cook gently for about 30 minutes. You can partially cover the top if the sauce seems thick.
• Check the seasonings and adjust if necessary. Garnish with more cilantro, and serve with basmati rice and yogurt..

Cook's notes

The tikka masala will improve with age, so make it ahead of time if you want,

The nutritional information for recipes on this site is provided as a courtesy and although theviewfromgreatisland.com tries to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.