Authentic Butter Chicken

My Vegetable Malabar Curry became an instant hit! Thank you all for trusting my recipes. You will not be disappointed with my next food posts as well. :)

Here’s a North Indian dish I grew up eating and I call it my mother’s signature dish - Butter Chicken! 

The aroma of the sweet n tangy and creamy butter chicken used to fill my entire house whenever my mother created magic with her fingers. She did her own modifications to make the butter chicken low in calories and yet yummy! After so many years when I started making this on my own, I made some more modifications to make sure the curry wasn't very heavy to eat and digest. They say, way to a man's heart is through his stomach and its quite true you know. I made this for my man and won his heart. Make this dish for your man and conquer his heart too!

Ladies and Gentlemen, presenting...Butter Chicken!

Preparation time: 15 minutes + 2 hours(marinade) 

Cooking time: 20 Minutes (Curry) + 30 minutes (BBQ)

Serves: 6

You will need:

For Tandoori Chicken Marinade:

Chicken – 1 kilogram

Kashmiri Red Chili Powder – 2 tablespoons

Ginger Garlic Paste – 2 Tablespoons

Set Yogurt – 200 grams

Lemon Juice – 4 Tablespoons

Salt – To taste

For Curry:

*Ripe Tomatoes (medium) – 10(Blend to puree) OR follow the extra step below to achieve that orangy red creamy puree.

Butter – 50 grams + 1 Tablespoon
Cashews - 10

Kashmiri Red Chili Powder – 1 tablespoon

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 Tablespoon

Cardamom Powder – ¼ Teaspoon

Dairy Whitener/Milk Powder – 8-10 Tablespoons

(Originally cream or cashew nut paste is used which makes the curry very rich. To mellow the richness down, my mother used paste of watermelon seeds.)

Dried Fenugreek leaves/Kasuri Methi – 2 Tablespoons

Honey – 1 Tablespoon

Salt – To taste

Cilantro/Coriander(chopped) – To garnish

Cream - To garnish

Garam Masala/ Chicken Masala (powder) – 1 Tablespoon

OR  Butterchicken Masala of Kitchens of India – 1 Packet

http://www.kitchensofindia.com/US/Products-Main/Curry%20Pastes/Butter%20Chicken%20Curry%20Paste

http://kitchensofindia.com/

Method:

Tandoori Chicken:

     1. Make incision in the chicken and keep it in a big bowl.

       2. Mix yogurt + chili powder+ salt + ginger garlic paste + lemon juice and coat the chicken generously with it. Cover the bowl with a cling foil or a plate and keep it in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

       3. BBQ the chicken from each side till it is done. Keep brushing some leftover marinade or butter over the chicken to keep it moist and juicy. You may also squeeze some lemon juice over it for the extra tangy flavor.

     

     4. Cut the chicken into pieces. (2-3 inches)

If you don’t have a BBQ then simply add 2 tablespoons butter in a big wok or a pan and stir fry the chicken till it is perfectly cooked.

*Tomato Puree:

1. Cut tomatoes into 4 pieces(quarter).
2. Heat a wok/pan and add 1 tablespoon butter + Chopped tomatoes + 10 cashews. Stir and cover it with a lid. Cook till the tomatoes are soft. 
3. Cool the tomatoes cashew mixture and blend it to make a fine puree. You will notice a nice orangy red colour with a creamy texture.

Curry:

    1. Keep a big wok or a pan on medium flame and add butter. Once the butter melts and heats up slightly, add tomato puree + salt and mix. Reduce the flame to low and cover the pan with a lid for 5 minutes or till the butter starts to float over the puree. Butter floating over the puree is a sign that its cooked completely.

2. Change the flame to medium and add red chili powder + ginger garlic paste and stir for 2 minutes. Then add garam or chicken masala. (Please note: If you are using Kitchens of India butter chicken masala or any other brand then first mix it with a small quantity of water to make paste and then add it to the curry.)

3. Mix milk powder with some water to make a thick batter like paste and add it to the curry. Add cardamom powder + dried fenugreek (take some in your palm and rub it to roughly break the leaves before adding it to the pan. By doing this you release more flavor.) Stir for 2 minutes more.

4.  Turn of the burner and pour in some honey if you have not used the ready made wet masala. The ready made wet curry masala has sweetness added already. Wait for the curry to cool down and then use a blender to churn it to make it smooth.

5. Add chicken pieces and mix gently to make sure you don't break the pieces. Garnish the curry with some cream and chopped cilantro/coriander.

Now taste the magic you just created. Brilliant, isn't it? What are you waiting for? Grab some parathas, tandoori roti or jeera rice and dollop some butter chicken in your plate and enjoy it with your loved one. Slurrrp!