Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken

Ingredients: 

For marinade:

• 500 gms chicken , washed and cut into small pieces – (use chicken with or without bones, I had used with bones).

• 1 teaspoon red chili powder

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• Salt  

• 3/4 cup plain yogurt

• 1.5 teaspoons kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves

• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 1 teaspoon garam masala

• 1.5 tablespoon any cooking oil 

• 1.5 tablespoon ginger paste  & 1/2 tablespoon garlic paste

For the gravy:

• 2.5 inch fresh ginger, made into a paste

• 8-10 cloves of garlic, made into a paste

• 2-4 fresh green chili pepper, slit

• 4 tablespoon melted butter

• 4 green cardamoms

• 1.5 – 2 inch cinnamon sticks

• 2 cloves

• 1 black cardamom

• 1 teaspoon methi/fenugreek seeds

• 2-3 cups tomato puree (fresh tomatoes boil and remove skin)

• 1 tablespoon red chili powder

• 1 teaspoon garam masala

• 1tablespoon kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves, very lightly toasted on a dry skillet and crushed

• 1/2 tablespoon sugar

• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoon heavy cream

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients of the marinade (see list). Apply this marinade to the chicken and refrigerate for three to four hours; overnight works better.

Heat butter  in a thick bottomed pan. Add Chicken and shallow fry it once it is done remove from oil and drain it. Add green cardamoms, black cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Sauté for a couple of minutes  or till they start to sizzle and get fragrant; add the methi/fenugrek seeds. When the methi seeds sizzle, add ginger paste and garlic paste, and the slit green chillies. Cook for five  to eight minutes; the water from the paste would have evaporated and the ginger garlic paste would have reduced in quantity. 

Add tomato puree, red chili powder, and salt.Cook at medium heat for about 15 – 20 minutes. The puree will reduce to a thick paste and the oil/ghee will separate from the sides of the pan.

Add 2.5 cups of hot water to the pan (optional) (if you want it less gravy and want the gravy to kind of coat the chicken pieces and have a little bit extra, add less water, consistency as per your taste). Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes; add sugar and crushed kasuri methi.

Add chicken pieces. Stir well to combine – the chicken will be well coated with the sauce. Cover and simmer for eight to ten minutes; Lower the heat and add garam masala, Butter and the heavy cream. Stir in the cream and simmer at low heat for about five more minutes.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaf and add a splash of cream before serving. You can have this with Chapati, Ghee rice & Nan.....