chicken tikka masala green

[gardenmom5]

is that normal?     would you report the restaurant to the health dept?

 

I'm currently on jury duty - so I went up to one of the major office buildings here and ate in their food court.  I was thrilled to find indian food . .. the outside of the chicken tikka masala was green, the ends reminded me of bones that had been sawed in half - and the meat was mostly hard as a rock. (as though that's how dry it was) I ended up throwing out the chicken ( I should probably have gone back and complained, but didn't want to deal with a scene)  I will NOT be eating there today.

[Petrichor]

Maybe the bones were sawed in half? I know indian butchers who like to just saw everything into small pieces. The meat would be hard as a rock if they cooked it on a high temperature/overcooked it (I have tended to cook indian food that way, it's easy to do if I do say so myself, lol). 

 

Not sure why it would be green though... Possibly from whatever green ingredients they used? Cilantro? I dont think mint is usually an ingredient in that, but that could turn it green too. 

 

Looks like overcooking will turn it green too http://www.backwoodshome.com/blogs/JackieClay/2007/11/24/readers-question-green-chicken-meat/

[gardenmom5]

Maybe the bones were sawed in half? I know indian butchers who like to just saw everything into small pieces. The meat would be hard as a rock if they cooked it on a high temperature/overcooked it (I have tended to cook indian food that way, it's easy to do if I do say so myself, lol). 

 

Not sure why it would be green though... Possibly from whatever green ingredients they used? Cilantro? I dont think mint is usually an ingredient in that, but that could turn it green too. 

 

Looks like overcooking will turn it green too http://www.backwoodshome.com/blogs/JackieClay/2007/11/24/readers-question-green-chicken-meat/

 

It WAS   meat -NOT bones.  the meat was in very large chunks. 

no green ingredients. it made me think of rotten meat.

Edited April 12, 2016 by gardenmom5

[SKL]

I don't recall seeing that dish prepared green.  More yellowish.

 

If you are curious, go back and see if they have the dish again today.  Ask them what gives it the greenish tinge.  Maybe it is some intended ingredient.  Indian food is made so many different ways.

 

Very hard meat is not typical for chicken tikka masala.  If you told them it was hard, in my experience normally they would take it back and give you fresher food.  But in a fast food situation, I don't know if that was a realistic option.

[lailasmum]

I think it's strange for it to be green because of the ingredients. Maybe it wasn't tikka masala but they were saying it was. 

[Bluegoat]

I've never seen it green, but I suppose they could have changed up the ingredients.

 

It isn't actually an authentic Indian recipe, IIRC it was invented in Glasgow, so I can easily imagine someone deciding to use a green curry sauce or something.

 

But it sounds like it was way, way past its due date, or was abused.. 

[zoobie]

I'd leave a Yelp review and order elsewhere! Ew.

[tm919]

Sometimes they put a metric ton of cilantro in, but then (IMO) it isn't tikka masala anymore. Plus, the rest of this just sounds so gross I wouldn't eat there even if it WERE cilantro.

[mominco]

Cilantro or mint or combination!

 

Likes others have said it would not be a tikka masala then.

I am also wondering if they gave you a different dish.

Hope you reported them.

[gardenmom5]

it was just tomato sauce. no cilantro, or other green herb.  I actually reported them to the health dept.  it just reminded me too much of rotten meat.

[Farrar]

I second the Yelp review. That stuff makes and breaks businesses nowadays.