Butter chicken

  

I suppose when you say you're cooking butter chicken, one might not straight away think of this Indian dish but a chicken dish cooked with butter... duh...well that's what I thought so too until I came across this recipe which is quite popular in India. 

Anyway I decided to give it a go after tasting it an Indian restaurant and my sister was raving about it, so here it is, my take on butter chicken.  For me, this dish is mild, it lacks the spiciness that I'm so used to  and I would say it's  not the family's  top favorite dish but it was good  as a dip with naan bread.  So for those of you  who are looking for a not so spicy dish, this is it.

A
1 kg Chicken - chopped into small pieces
5 tbs Curd/yogurt
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbs chili powder
1 tbs Chicken tandoori masala  - see below how to make this

B
5 medium chopped  tomato
2 inch chopped ginger
4 medium Green chill
7 Garlic cloves 
1/4 cup Cashew - soaked for 10 min

2 tbs Butter
1tsp Cumin seeds

for the curry:
2 tbs Cooking oil plus 2 tbs butter
1 tbs Coriander powder-
1 tbs Cumin powder
1 tbs Garam masala powder
Salt to taste
3 tbsp tbs Fresh cream
Kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)-1 tsp - optional **

First you need to marinate the chicken with A
Give it a good mix and keep it aside for an hour.

Next we're preparing the tomato masala paste. 
Heat a pan, add 1 tbsp of butter.
Add cumin seeds and fry it for few seconds, then add B and saute it for a minute on low-medium flame.
Add tomato and saute it on medium flame till it turns little soft.
Turn off the flame and take it out in a blending jar, let it cool down a bit.
Blend it into thick smooth paste, do not add water.



Now it's the chicken's turn.
Heat oil in pan, add marinated chicken, fry it on medium flame until the it is almost cook about 80%, cause we're gonna cook it further later on.
Take out the fried chicken on a kitchen towel and set it aside.


For the curry 
Heat Butter and oil in a pan, add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder and fry the dry spices for a minute on low-medium flame, keep stirring.

Add the blended masala paste, mix it and cover the pan, cook it for a minute on medium flame.
Add a cup of water and stir it, increase the flame to high and let it come to boil.
Once the curry starts boiling, add the fried chicken in the curry and gently mix it.
Add salt to taste  and mix it.
Cover the pan and cook it for 4-5 minutes on low-medium flame.

                              
Add fresh cream and garam masala powder and mix it.
Cover the pan and cook it on medium flame for 2 minutes.

                               
**
At this point you're to roast the kasuri methi in a pan for 1/2 minute. Rub the roasted kasuri methi on your palm and sprinkle it on the curry. I omitted this since I don't have this dried herb with me.

Mix it, cover and cook it for another minute on medium flame.
Turn off the flame, garnish with butter and fresh cream.
Serve hot with  Naan bread.

                                 

Enjoy....jue
recipe adapted from here

How to make tandoori masala - good for marinating chicken,fish or lamb

3 tsp cumin powder
3 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp sweet paprika (for color)
2 tsp cinnamon powder
4 cardamom pods - seeds removed and ground

METHOD
Combine all spices together in a bowl. Keep in an airtight jar to maintain freshness.