Malai Tikka is a sophisticated jazz lounge, whereas Tandoori Chicken is an exuberant rock event. It's the elegant, creamy relative of the spicy grills that are typically associated with Pakistani food. Malai Tikka is all on the "melt-in-your-mouth" experience, whereas most tikka recipes strive for a spicy punch.
The word Malai translates to "cream” and Tikka refers to pieces or chunks. This meal uses the balance of fats, such as yogurt, cream, and occasionally cheese, to make the meat so soft that it hardly needs a knife.
It's the ideal "bridge" dish. Malai Tikka is the perfect way to gently introduce Pakistani spices to people who are afraid of them.
Place a tiny piece of red-hot charcoal in the middle of a small metal cup. After adding a spoonful of ghee to the coal, cover the bowl with a lid and let it sit for three minutes. This gives the meat a rich, smoky "tandoor" flavour that a burner just cannot.
Without its entourage, Malai Tikka feels lonely. In order to do it justice, you must have thinly sliced onion rings tossed with coriander and lemon after being soaked in cold water to maintain their crispness. The Green Chutney. and roti roomali--a paper-thin flatbread to wrap the tikka in.