Tikka Masala Sauce (dairy-free)

Add ghee to a large wok or skillet on medium heat.

Add onions, grated ginger, grated garlic, and spices (turmeric, paprika, cayenne, coriander, cumin, and cardamom) and sauté for several minutes until onions are cooked down. Spices may slightly start to brown and you’ll see brown bits at the bottom of your pan. Don’t worry! These have lots of flavors and will be incorporated once we add the tomato paste and sauce.

Add in tomato paste and make sure to start scraping off brown bits as you sauté with onions for a few minutes.

Then add in tomato sauce, fenugreek leaves, and salt and really scrape all brown bits and sauté everything until tomato sauce cooks and becomes caramelized.

When it’s done, it should have a deep orange-red color and it should be fairly thick inconsistency.

At this time, add in coconut milk or cream and combine fully with tomatoes and onions. Cook for a few minutes until fully steaming.

Taste and adjust spices and seasonings as needed. Add in a tbsp of coconut sugar if it’s too tart, and adding more if needed. Depending on the tomato sauce brand you use, it may taste too tart. The sugar will help balance this.

Add in cooked chopped chicken, cooked jackfruit, or chopped paneer, or anything else you want to the sauce and let it sit for 5-10 more minutes on low heat until everything is heated through and the flavors from the sauce are absorbed into the chicken/paneer/jackfruit.

Turn off heat and garnish with cilantro! Serve immediately!