BUTTER CHICKEN MASALA/ MURGH MAKHANI

This is a very famous dish in Nortth India. It’s filled with the goodness of butter and cream…………..Now this is what I call finger licking good! This is my all time favourite food! and my daughter loves it too! Yep! She’s my daughter all right!!
She usually requests for this when there’s a reason to celebrate – like today!!………….. last day of exams!!!Celebration for both of us indeed………….we definitely cannot make this on a weekly basis…….with the amount of fat that goes in there!

This recipe is definitely restaurant quality!……..its creamy and rich…………the spiciness from the chilies and the sweetness from the tomatoes are a perfect balance. This is an updated recipe with new pictures. Since my Paneer Butter Masala came out so good, I tried out a similar base with chicken. The result was just as I expected. It was lovely………….beautifully smooth and creamy texture.

I like to marinate my chicken for atleast a few hours before cooking. I took the easy way out and used my griddle pan to cook my chicken on the stove. Cook it on high so you get the charred effect. Alternatively, you could even use an oven and turn it to the ‘broil’ mode towards the end to get the charred effect…………the choice is yours.

I served it with naans, which was also  a new recipe I tried. Definitely a keeper.  It has no yeast (yay!) and I used a combination of all purpose flour and wheat flour. Will post the recipe soon.
I have also tried naans which use yeast and had used only whole wheat flour for that. You can find the recipe here.

for the chicken marinade:
Boneless chicken, cut into bite size pieces- 500 g
Ginger garlic paste- 3 tsps
Hung yoghurt – 1/4 cup (just use a strainer to strain out the excess water. you will be left with thick yogurt on the top )
Kashmiri chilli powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt
Lime juice – 1 tsp

for the gravy:
Big onion, roughly chopped- 1
Tomatoes, blanched and skin peeled and roughly chopped – 3
Cashewnuts, soaked in hot water – 10
Ginger garlic paste –  1 tbsp
Cardamom – 1
Cloves – 5
Cinnamon – 1 small piece
Butter – 1 tbsp
Oil
Green chilies, slit – 5
Chili powder – 1/2 tsp
Garam masala – 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1.5 tsps
Tomato puree 3 tbsps
Milk – 1/2 cup
Kasoori methi – 3 tbsps
Sugar – 1/2 tsp
Cooking cream – 4 or 5 tbsps (as per taste)




PROCESS:

• In a wok, heat 1 tbsp of oil and saute the onions. when it becomes slightly brown add the cashewnuts and saute for a minute or 2.
• Then add in the tomatoes. cover and cook for 2 minute or untill the tomatoes have nicely cooked and mushy. add salt
• Remove from flame and let it cool down
• Now to grill the chicken, heat a griddle pan or even a tawa will do. brush with oil and arrange the chicken pieces. cook on high heat so you can get the charred effect. turn it over and cook till cooked.
• Keep aside to use later.
• Now, put the cooled tomato mixture in a blender and whizz till you get a smooth paste. this is your gravy base
• In a wok, heat the butter and 2 tbsps of oil. add the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and green chilies and saute for about 30 seconds.
• Add in the blended gravy base.
• Add the chili powder, cumin, coriander powder, salt, tomato puree and garam masala.
• Stir and cook for about a minute
• Add in about 1 cup of water. close and let it simmer for a few minutes.
• Then add in the milk.
• Add the sugar and stir.
• When the gravy has thickened slightly and the kasoori methi.
• Then add the cream and about 1/4 cup water.
• Cook for a minute or 2 and add in the cooked chicken pieces.
• Adjust the water as per your taste and consistency.