2 hours, plus 12 hours straining and 24 hours marinating time
PT2H
PT36H
Dominic Chapman's take on a classic tikka masala uses rabbit instead of chicken. The delicate spices of the curry work beautifully with the slightly gamey meat to create an Indian-inspired dish with a twist.
Begin by preparing the marinade 36 hours before you plan to serve the dish. Strain the yoghurt by setting a sieve over a bowl and line the sieve with muslin cloth. Place the yoghurt into the cloth and leave in the fridge to drain for 12 hours. Reserve the thickened yoghurt for the marinade
Once the yoghurt has finished draining, roast the spices in a dry frying pan until aromatic then blitz to a powder in a blender, spice grinder or pestle and mortar
Combine the yoghurt, spices, lemon juice, salt, garlic paste and ginger paste and massage into the rabbit legs. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 24 hours
The next day, prepare the tomato sauce. In a large pan set over a medium heat, combine the tomatoes, onion, cinnamon and bay leaves with a splash of water. Simmer gently until the mixture softens
To make the tikka masala, set a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and melt the butter until it starts to foam. Add the garlic and ginger pastes and fry for a few minutes until fragrant
Add the red chilli, garam masala, ground mace, turmeric, paprika, sugar and ketchup, and cook until the chilli slightly softens. Add the tomato mixture and simmer, allowing the sauce to thicken and reduce
