Colonial Butter Chicken Food

COLONIAL BUTTER CHICKEN

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a skillet, brown chicken slightly. Be careful not to overcook--just get rid of all pink.
• Remove chicken from pan and add onion to saute until soft.
• Add spices and garlic and stir about one minute.
• Put chicken back in pan and pour broth over--just about covering.
• Turn heat down and simmer about 20 minutes.
• Add cream and juice, stir well until warm, then remove chicken again.
• Bring liquid to a boil and reduce until you get desired thickness.
• Stir chicken in briefly to warm, then spoon over rice. Sprinkle with sumac powder.

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.

BUTTER CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place the cashews in a small heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and let soak 30 minutes, then drain.
• Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon garam masala and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and brown 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
• Reduce the heat to medium high and add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the pot. Add the onions, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until soft and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, chili powder and remaining 1/2 teaspoon turmeric; cook, stirring and scraping the pot, until the spices are toasted, about 30 seconds.
• Add the tomatoes and tomato paste to the pot. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes break down, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the onion-tomato mixture to a blender (reserve the pot). Add the soaked cashews and 1 1/4 cups water and puree until smooth. Pour the sauce into the reserved pot.
• Return the chicken and any juices from the plate to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the chicken is tender, about 40 minutes.
• Stir in the heavy cream, butter, sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon garam masala. Thin the curry with water, if necessary; season with salt. Serve with rice and top with cilantro.

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.

COLONIAL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Wipe chicken with clean damp cloth.
• Combine the 1/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.
• Roll chicken in mixture.
• In large skillet brown chicken in oil on all sides.
• Remove chicken from the pan and drain on paper towels.
• Heat oven to 350.
• In a bowl mix together remaining flour, baking powder and salt.
• Beat together eggs, milk and melted butter.
• Beat until light.
• Slowly add to flour mixture.
• Beat until batter is smooth.
• Pour batter into greased 12x7-inch baking dish.
• Arrange chicken pieces on top.
• Sprinkle with pepper if desired.
• Bake for 1 hour or until batter puffs and is golden brown.
• Serve at once.

BUTTER CHICKEN

Steps:

• Saute onion and garlic in butter.
• Slice chicken breasts into bite sized pieces.
• Combine spices and salt and toss chicken pieces until well coated.
• Saute the chicken each side until golden brown.
• Stir in the cream and tomato paste.
• Cover pan and simmer for about 10 minutes until cooked through.
• Sprinkle with garam masala.