Classic Butter Chicken Food

BUTTER CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine chicken with all of the ingredients for the chicken marinade; let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour (or overnight if time allows).
• Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. When sizzling, add chicken pieces in batches of two or three, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until browned for only 3 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm. (You will finish cooking the chicken in the sauce.)
• Heat butter or ghee in the same pan. Fry the onions until they start to sweat (about 6 minutes) while scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan.
• Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add ground coriander, cumin and garam masala. Let cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant, while stirring occasionally.
• Add crushed tomatoes, chili powder and salt. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes a deep brown red colour.
• Remove from heat, scoop mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add a couple tablespoons of water to help it blend (up to 1/4 cup). Work in batches depending on the size of your blender.
• Pour the puréed sauce back into the pan. Stir the cream, sugar and crushed kasoori methi (or fenugreek leaves) through the sauce. Add the chicken with juices back into the pan and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with fresh, hot garlic butter rice and fresh homemade Naan bread!

CLASSIC BUTTER CHICKEN

Steps:

• Rub the lemon juice and chilli powder or paprika into the chicken with a pinch of salt, then chill for 1 hr. Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl, taste for seasoning, then add the chilled chicken. Mix well and chill for another 2 hrs.
• Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto metal skewers, reserving any leftover marinade. Grill over a hot barbecue for 5 mins, turning occasionally and basting with the melted butter or ghee. Alternatively, cook under a hot grill for 8-10 mins, turning occasionally. Don't worry if the chicken is a little under cooked, as it will finish cooking in the sauce. Remove the skewers to a board.
• To make the sauce, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan and drop in a few cumin seeds. When they start sizzling, tip in the rest of the seeds. Swirl the pan, reduce the heat and add the green chillies. Stir once or twice until the skins of the chillies have blistered, then add the butter or ghee. Turn the heat up to high and continue to cook until all the butter or ghee has melted. Tip in the onions and fry for 10 mins until the onions are light brown and soft. If you prefer a smooth sauce, tip the mixture into a blender and blitz until smooth. Alternatively, scrape into a bowl and set aside.
• Wipe the pan clean with kitchen paper and heat the remaining oil. Drop in the crushed cardamom pods. When they have swelled and lightened in colour, reduce the heat, add the garlic and ginger and fry for 30 seconds, stirring continuously until you can no longer smell raw garlic and ginger. Return the cooked onion mixture to the pan and mix well. Add the turmeric and half the fenugreek leaves. Season with salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed - if you like, you can add some chilli powder. Pour in the diluted passata, mix well and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered and stirring occasionally, for around 20 mins. Oil will eventually rise to the surface when the sauce is cooked.
• Remove the chicken pieces from the skewers and chop into bite-sized pieces. Add these to the sauce along with any resting juices. Tip about 125ml warm water into the bowl with the reserved marinade, swirl to loosen, then stir into the sauce. Bring the sauce to the boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Sprinkle over with garam masala and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. If you like, add a splash of boiling water to loosen the sauce, then taste for seasoning. Pour in half the cream and mix well.
• Transfer the butter chicken to a serving bowl, drizzle over the remaining cream, sprinkle with the remaining fenugreek leaves and garnish with the fresh coriander leaves.

CHICKEN MAKHANI (INDIAN BUTTER CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Saute shallot and onion until soft and translucent. Stir in butter, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon garam masala, chili powder, cumin and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in half-and-half and yogurt. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat, and season with 1 teaspoon garam masala and cayenne. Stir in a few spoonfuls of sauce, and simmer until liquid has reduced, and chicken is no longer pink. Stir cooked chicken into sauce.
• Mix together cornstarch and water, then stir into the sauce. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.

THE BEST BUTTER CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the marinade: Whisk together the yogurt, salt, ginger and garlic in a large bowl until combined. Toss the chicken in the seasoned yogurt marinade until evenly coated. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 24. (Overnight works best.)
• For the sauce: Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large Dutch oven or wide heavy pot over medium heat. Toss the fenugreek seeds, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon and clove in the butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly darker and very fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the onions, season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and beginning to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until very fragrant and the ginger starts to turn golden and sticks to the bottom of the pot, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garam masala and chili powder and cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up into pieces with a spoon, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by half and the tomatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and cinnamon stick (but leave the other whole spices).
• Let the hot sauce cool for about 5 minutes or so, then transfer it to a blender filling no more than halfway. Remove the center cap from the lid and place it on the blender. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth. (If your blender is small, you may need to work in batches.) Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the cream to the blender and puree until creamy. Pour into a clean pot and bring to a simmer. Season with salt.
• Meanwhile, arrange a rack directly under the broiler and preheat to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside.
• Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the rack. Broil until the chicken starts to brown in spots, 3 to 6 minutes per side (it will not be cooked through). Remove from the broiler. When cool enough to handle, cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the simmering sauce, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Stir in the cilantro. Serve with rice and naan alongside.

EASY BUTTER CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients with some seasoning. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss with the marinade. Cover and chill in the fridge for 1 hr or overnight.
• In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, green chilli, ginger and some seasoning. Fry on a medium heat for 10 mins or until soft.
• Add the spices with the tomato purée, cook for a further 2 mins until fragrant, then add the stock and marinated chicken. Cook for 15 mins, then add any remaining marinade left in the bowl. Simmer for 5 mins, then sprinkle with the toasted almonds. Serve with rice, naan bread, chutney, coriander and lime wedges, if you like.