Tikka (food) facts for kids
Paneer Tikka served in a restaurant in Mumbai, India.
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| Course | Hors d'oeuvre |
|---|---|
| Region or state | Indian Subcontinent |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Meat, paneer, marinade, yogurt, spices or curry |
| Variations | Chicken Tikka Masala, Paneer Tikka Masala |
Not to be confused with Chicken Tikka Masala
Tikka (pronounced [ʈɪkkaː]) is a dish consisting of pieces of meat or vegetarian alternatives such as paneer with its origins tracing back to the Mughal dynasty. It is made by marinating the pieces in spices and yogurt and cooking them in a tandoor. Tikka is popular in countries such as Great Britain and also throughout the Indian subcontinent. The preservation of paneer tikka can be enhanced from 1–2 days to 40 days by using vacuum packaging, whilst the physico and textural properties of chicken tikka can be improved by using a marinade of lemon juice and ginger extract.
Contents
Etymology
Tikka is a Punjabi word which has been commonly combined with the Urdu word masala, with the combined word originating from UK English. The word itself is a derivation of the Turkic word tikkü, which means "piece" or "chunk".
Origin
The precise origin of the dish is uncertain. Recipes for cooked meat enriched with Spices and mixed within a sauce date back to 1700 BCE found on cuneiform tablets near Babylon, credited to the Sumerians. During the Mughal dynasty, the Mughals brought "boneless pieces of cooked meat" called Tikka to India.
There are different varieties of the dish, both meat inclusive and vegetarian. Generally, the dish is defined as "an Indian dish of small pieces of meat or Vegetables marinated in a spice mixture".
Preparation
Tikka consists of boneless pieces of meat or vegetarian alternatives such as paneer, which are marinated in Spices and yogurt and subsequently strung through a skewer to be cooked. It is generally cooked in a tandoor and served dry,.
Variations
Indian-subcontinent Variations
The Indian variations of Tikka are the roots of the Western variations, including simpler dishes such as Chicken tikka and Paneer tikka which are generally served dry. Following the introduction of variations such as Chicken tikka masala in foreign countries such as Britain, these variations have also made their way into the menus of restaurants in the Indian subcontinent.
Cross-cultural variations
Regular chicken and paneer tikka have been combined with dishes from other cultures such as Mexican cuisine to create hybrid dishes such as Tikka Masala Burrito’s, which are served with either chicken or paneer as their main ingredient.
Popularity
In Britain
A study was undertaken in the 1990s that revealed British interest in foreign food, with Chicken tikka being a favourite filling in the British Rail sandwich.
In India
A study of 670 foreign tourists at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, attempted to show the street food preferences of foreign tourists in the city, along with the reason for their selection. Of the 17 most preferred street foods by foreign tourists, Chicken tikka was the most favoured, with tourists preferring mildly flavoured foods that are hygienically prepared.
During the cricket World Cup in 2018, restaurants in the host city served dishes named after current cricket players using cricket terminology. For instance, Paneer tikka was renamed Dhoni da Tikka after former Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Chicken tikka was renamed Virat's Straight Drive after current Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli.
Preservation and Quality
Paneer tikka
Paneer tikka has a shelf-life of 1–2 days, which can be increased up to 28 days using modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) technology. Vacuum packaging named LLDPE/BA/Nylon-6/LDPE is most effective as it is able to limit chemical changes during storage, increasing the refrigerated shelf-life of Paneer tikka to 40 days.
Chicken tikka
The physico-chemical and textural properties of chicken tikka can be improved by using a combined marinade of lemon juice and ginger extract. The marinade also lowers the fat and cholesterol content of chicken tikka. Further, upon sensory evaluation, texture and juiciness are also improved via the use of the marinade. A process called vacuum tumbling can also be used to improve such sensory attributes as appearance, colour, texture, juiciness and overall acceptability.
