Butter Chicken (murgh makhani)

I’ve always loved butter chicken. I don’t think my mum has ever made it. So when I was fasting, I figured the only way I was going to satisfy this intense craving was to make some myself. Besides, i heard it was easy to make, thought it would be the perfect start 🙂

However, i realized (very quickly) that there is more than just one version of butter chicken, so Indian delights was out, it wasn’t the recipe I wanted. I was looking for the butter chicken curry type thing that I could pour over my rice or dip my roti in. Where the curry was just as good as the chicken itself…Now all I had to do was find THE recipe…

Finding a recipe, is not a problem. Finding a great one is. Most of them were just basic: chilli, butter and cream. No intense flavour or aroma.
I did find one recipe that required me to use pre-mixed BBQ spice, however, at that precise moment I realized my aunt back home is the queen of recipes and an excellent cook. She was bound to have a good recipe… she did. She reprimanded me when I told her about my pre-mixed BBQ spice recipe and then again when I asked her how would I know what jeera and dhana powder looked like 😛
But my aunt, having known me all my life, knew I was not experienced,
so her instructions were idiot proof 🙂

The Recipe:

Step 1:

500g chicken fillet, Wash and cube it.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the following ingredients:

1tsp fine salt

1 heaped tsp ginger&garlic mix

1tsp jeera powder (cumin powder)

1tsp dhania powder (coriander seed powder)

1/2tsp haldi (tumeric)

2tsp red chilli powder

1TBS tandoori masala

1/2tsp Garam Masala

1-2 Strands saffron

1/2 Cup Plain Yoghurt

Add chicken to mixture, cover with cling film and keep in the fridge for at least 2 hours. (Can be stored overnight)

this is how the mixture should look:

Step2: When ready to cook

50g butter melt in pot

Dice&Cube 1 whole onion, small pieces

Fry it in the butter until slightly golden (You need to watch this like a hawk, can go from golden to burnt in like a split second)

Add the chicken to the onions

2tbs tomato paste add (Can add 2 or 3 MORE TBS here for thickness, or redness – Discretionary)

Cook it for a little while, Then

1tub fresh cream, 250ml

Taste. If a little acidic add half a teaspoon white sugar. (Maximum 1 teaspoon)

(I add more saffron here, but its optional)

1 Tablespoon Cornflour dissolved in a little water, add to gravy.

Cook for a little bit longer until desired consistency, and until chicken is done.

Turn off stove and will thicken on standing.

Sprinkle some dhania (coriander/cilantro) over and serve with rice, roti or paratha

Straight off the stove and into the plates and tummy’s of some very hungry indian people 🙂

Additional notes: 

Too thin, must find a way to thicken it. Perhaps double cream?

Update 1: Made it again and it was pretty good. The marinade can also double as braai marinade for the chicken. Yummy.

Update 2: Made it a few times since, and have updated some of the spices

Update 3: Added saffron (yum)

Update 4: Added a pinch of elachi (optional), can also add the cardamom pods when frying onions, but i don’t like speed traps in my food 🙂