Butter Chicken

Adapted from Recipe Courtesy : http://www.passionateaboutbaking.com/2008/08/original-butter-chicken.html

MOTI MAHAL’S MURGH MAKHANI / The original BUTTER CHICKEN

Ingredients:
Chicken – 600-700 gms (on the bone)
For the first marinade:Lime Juice of 1 lime
Red chili powder – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
For the second marinade:
Yogurt – ½ cup / thick
Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Ginger – 1 tbsps
Rock salt – 1 tsp
Garam Masala – 1 tsp
Kasoori methi – ½ tsp (these are a variety of dried fenugreek leaves often used in Indian cooking)
Oil – 1 tbsp
Method:

• Make 2 deep incisions each in both breast pieces &s drumsticks. Mix all ingredients on the first marinade & rub well into chicken pieces. Keep aside for an hour.
• For the second marinade, mix all ingredients well & rub into chicken pieces till they are well coated. Leave in the fridge for at least 3 hours. I usually leave this overnight.
•  Shallow fry the chicken pieces along with a good coating of marinade on low heat on a tawa/non stick pan till golden brown.
• Or, preheat oven to 180 degrees c. Place the chicken on the grill rack, with a tray underneath to collect the drippings. Grill for 8-10 minutes, brush with oil, turn the pieces, & grill for another 4-5 minutes until the chicken is tender. Keep aside.

or,

For the makhani sauce
Ripe, red tomatoes – 500gms / chopped (the original recipe calls for 800gm)
Oil – 2 tbsp
Onion – 1 / chopped
Red Chili powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala _ 1 tsp

Cumin/Zeera powder – 1tsp
Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Cashew paste – 2 tbsp (I ran a handful in my dry grinder in short bursts)
Bay leaf – 1
Green chili – 1-2 / finely chopped
Butter – 50 gms
Single Cream – 50 ml (original has 100 gm double cream)
Kasoori methi – 1 tsp
Green chilies, fresh coriander, cream for garnishing.

Method:

• Heat the oil in a pan, add onion & sauté for a few seconds. Put in chopped tomatoes, bay leaf & salt & simmer, stirring occasionally, until the oil leaves the sides. Cool slightly & strain the sauce. (Do this the previous day to save time).
• Pour the sauce back into a pan over low heat. Add all the spices, followed by the tandoori chicken. Stir well & simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Add the butter & stir in till it melts. Finally stir in the cream & take off heat.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, cream & green chilies, as desired.
• Serve hot with crisp garlic naan, & a salad of onion rings tossed in lime juice & salt.