Butter Chicken

This is an extremely easy-to-make Butter Chicken. It's how I used to make it whenever there was no electricity and I couldn't use the oven to roast the chicken. It comes out really well and makes a great main dish in less time and with little effort. The chicken also lends a smoky flavour to the dish, like cooking in a tandoor would!


Ingredients:

Chicken breast fillets.......................................6, cut into 2" pcs

For Marinade:

Yoghurt............................................................6-7 tbsps.
Garlic-ginger paste.........................................2 cloves garlic & 1" pc ginger crushed into paste
Kashmiri red chilli...........................................1 tsp
Garam masala.................................................1/2 tsp
Coriander pwdr...............................................1/2 tsp
Olive oil...........................................................2 tbsps
Lemon juice.....................................................1 n 1/2 tbsps
Salt to taste

For the gravy:

Onion...............................................................1, chopped into tiny pieces, or blitzed in a mixer
Garlic...............................................................6 large cloves. (If you are using the small variety     increase by 2 cloves.) should make 1 tbsp of garlic paste
Ginger..............................................................1" pc, should make 1 tbsp. of ginger paste
Tomato.............................................................2 big red ones
Green chilli......................................................2, or acc to required heat, minced or chopped into very tiny pieces
Tomato puree...................................................200gms
Cumin pwdr.....................................................1 n 1/2 level tsps
Garam masala.................................................1n 1/4 tsp (preferably home-made)
Turmeric..........................................................1/4 tsp
Kashmiri red chilli pwdr.................................2 tsp or acc to taste
Butter...............................................................75-85gms
Olive oil...........................................................2-3 tbsps
Cream..............................................................1/2 small tetrapack or 3/4 tea cup
Green cardamoms...........................................3, whole
Cinnamon........................................................1stick (2")
Pepper corns...................................................6-7
Kasuri Methi...................................................1 tsp
Sugar..............................................................1- 2 tsps. Check for sweetness before adding more sugar.



Make gashes along the length of the chicken fillet and rub with Kashmiri red chilli, coriander, garam masala, ginger-garlic paste, salt. Leave for half an hour. Then add yogurt, oil and lemon juice. Mix well and keep aside for two hours or more. This can be kept overnight too.

Brush a wee bit of oil in a shallow pan. Heat. Place the chicken pieces without overlapping...three or four according to the size of the pan. Turn over quickly. The idea is not to cook them completely; only to sear the outside without browning. So as soon as it turns white on both sides remove. It takes barely a few minutes to do all.

Now with a greased skewer or a fork, or a slender long knife, stab two or three pieces of the half done chicken. Keep space between the pieces. No crowding.

Over the gas flame (high) hold the pieces slightly above the flame and singe them. Keep turning the implement around so they are singed all over. They will release a lovely tandoori aroma. Keep aside for later use.

In a mixer, grind the tomatoes, ginger, garlic.


Heat the oil and 25 gms of butter in a non stick pan. Add the cardamoms, cinnamon, pepper corns. Put in the onions and cook until the onions are translucent and not brown. Add the tomato mixture and stir into the onions.


When the tomato-garlic-ginger begins to reduce, add the tomato puree and green chilli. Keep stirring it and when it thickens lower heat to low, add the red chilli, cumin, garam masala, turmeric and sugar. Mix the masalas well to meld with the tomato. Add the rest of the butter. Cook stirring from time to time. When the masala is done the oil begins to separate.


Put in the chicken pieces, and mix well so that they are coated with the tomato masala. Add water to cover the chicken. Crush the kasuri methi between your palms and drop it in. Cover and cook till chicken is done. Check by inserting a knife, it should pierce smoothly. Chicken will cook very quickly as it is almost three-fourths cooked, so check in time. Overcooking chicken breast makes it dry.


Lower heat and add the cream. Stir in properly. Simmer a few seconds and remove from stove. Note: If the gravy is too watery (by chance) cook on high uncovered, but keep a watchful eye! Add the cream only when the gravy is the right thickness and quantity desired.

Serve with tandoori roti, naan, or rice. Over here in Chile many like it with zeera rice!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------