When I first started cooking curries, I believed seasoning simply meant adding salt and pepper, and that every curry should be finished with a generous sprinkle of garam masala. Like many people, I had also been diagnosed with high blood pressure and was advised to avoid salt or switch to low-sodium alternatives. As a result, the salt cellar rarely came out of the cupboard. I'm sure many readers can relate to that.

Chicken Tikka Masala is one of the most popular dishes served in British Indian Restaurants (BIR), loved for its smoky pieces of chicken tikka coated in a rich, creamy tomato sauce. This restaurant-style recipe uses the Stevie's Curry Magic (SCM) Method™, combining silky base gravy, tender pre-cooked chicken tikka and a carefully balanced blend of spices to recreate authentic curry house flavour at home.

Back in my Alresford days, we were lucky enough to have a wonderful local Indian restaurant called the Shapla, and like many curry lovers I always had my favourite dishes. For me, the big decision was usually between a Chicken Madras and a Chicken Peshwari. The Madras was always tempting with its rich spicy sauce, but I have to admit the Peshwari won more often than not — and occasionally I would just order both! and take leftovers home.

After writing 150 posts, testing countless curries, exploring traditional techniques and recreating the British Indian Restaurant style at home, I realised something important: Great curry isn’t about blindly following recipes — it’s about understanding the method behind them. That’s why I created The SCM Method™.

Discover 'A Useful List of Indian Spice Blends' to elevate your cooking. Explore this useful list of Indian spice blends for flavorful dishes.