Butter Chicken / Murgh Makhani

As I grew up the perks of holidays faded into wilderness slowly. And now it has become synonymous to a late start of the day and a long lazy evening nap. Almost no work and lolling around just like thin crisp air. It’s on these days I miss my family and friends the most. A crowd of known faces and a touch of small picnic. I miss those friendly gestures. True friends are not that easy to earn.

No Bengali get-together is complete without a scrumptious meat or chicken curry and naan or fried rice or Biriyani. It’s almost staple for every household. So to have a touch of that festiveness to my home I cooked my very special and delicious butter chicken / murgh makhani. Melt in the mouth soft chicken pieces in smooth and silky red gravy. I love its feel. And Butter Chicken goes perfectly well with some naan. Thick, soft and fluffy.  And all of this you can achieve just by using the tawa!! I follow my aunt’s recipe there. And that recipe is so foolproof...that you can never ever go wrong!

Marinate the chicken with salt, pepper and ginger - garlic paste. Then fry them till they are golden from the outside.

In the same oil add the ginger - garlic paste and the whole garam masalas. Cook till the raw flavour of the garlic is gone.

Now pour in the tomato puree and cook till the oil separates.

Next add the spices and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the thick whisked yogurt and fried chicken pieces and cook till the chicken is almost done.

Then add the cream and cook till done.

Add the butter and chopped coriander leaves.

Finally add the garam masala powder and crushed kasuri methi.

So it was our dinner...Butter Chicken and Naan with some green salad that comprised of cucumber, red onions and carrots. Drizzle some lime juice and salt over them...and I assure you a squeaky clean plate in the end of the meal.

Butter Chicken / Murgh Makhani

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken

5-6 ripe medium tomatoes – pureed

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

2 tsp while pepper powder

6 cloves of garlic – paste

1 inch stick of ginger – paste

½ cup thick yogurt – whisked until smooth

2 tbsp thick cream

2 medium cinnamon sticks

4 green cardamoms

4 cloves

2 medium bay leaves

2 tsp cumin powder

3-4 tsp red chilli powder

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

2-3 tsp garam masala powder

1 tbsp kasuri methi – crushed by rubbing in your palms

2 tbsp butter

A handful of fresh coriander leaves – chopped

¼ th cup oil

Salt

Method:

Marinate the chicken for 2 hours with 2 tsp ginger garlic paste, salt, white pepper powder and a little oil.

Heat the oil in a pan and once the oil is hot enough place the chicken pieces onto the pan face down side by side. Fry them on medium heat for 5 minutes and then flip them. Cook the other side for another 5 minutes and then take them out of the pan. Put the fried chicken pieces in a separate bowl and keep aside.

In the same oil add in the cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamoms and bay leaves. Sauté them for half a minute or until the oil becomes aromatic and then add the ginger – garlic paste.

Sauté the ginger – garlic paste for a few seconds or until the raw garlic favour is gone and then pour in the tomato puree.

Sprinkle some salt over the tomato puree, mix in and cook till the oil separates. You will know it is cooked when the gravy will smell like tomato no more and it will start to release oil.

Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder to the cooked tomato puree and mix in.

Now take the whisked curd and the fried chicken and add them to the prepared curry.

Give a good stir to mix everything.

Put cover and cook till the chicken is almost cooked. Do stir every 2 minutes to avoid any kind of burning and sticking to the bottom of the pan.

When the chicken is almost cooked, taste and adjust the seasoning and add the cream.

Mix in and add the butter and chopped fresh coriander leaves.
Cook till the chicken is completely done and the pieces are soft from inside.

Now sprinkle the garam masala powder and kasuri methi over them.

Finally put off the flame and serve hot with naan / roti / chapatti / rice.