Butter chicken or murgh makhani is a authentic and flavourful recipe in Indian cuisine and now it is popular in the countries all over the world. Frying tomatoes in butter gives a rich bright color to gravy with out any artificial food colors. This gravy is usually served with naan,roti,parathas,roomali roti and steamed rice.
I have tried many butter chicken recipes on the net but still I stuck to this particular one because of it color,texture and taste as we get in many Indian restaurants. Full credit goes to Chef Harpal singh sokhi for this wonderful recipe. This recipe is prepared in two parts: making tandoori chicken and then adding it to tomato gravy. You can prepare the tandoori chicken a day advance or can also use leftover tandoori chicken for this gravy. Chicken can be replaced to paneer(cottage cheese for paneer makhani..
Total time: 20 ~ 25 minutes
Preparation time:5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 ~ 20 minutes
Serves: 3 ~ 4
Ingredients:
1 lb / 500gms cooked tandoori chicken( Check here for the recipe)
To saute and puree:
2 tsp oil
1 tbsp butter
3 ~ 4 cardamom or as required
little bit mace
1 ½ tsp garlic chopped
½ kg red tomatoes or about 7-10 medium size tomatoes chopped
For Gravy:
1 ½ tbsp butter
1 ½ tsp Julienned ginger
1 ~ 2 green chilies,deseeded and julienned
1 ½ tbsp kashmiri red chili powder
½ cup fresh cream
1 ½ tbsp honey or to taste
Salt to taste
¼ tsp Kasoori methi / Dried fenugreek leaves
Method:
Heat oil and butter in a skillet, add cardamom and mace following chopped garlic.
When garlic is roasted add chopped tomatoes, cook it in medium heat till it become soft and pulp with bright red color and turn off the heat. once it is warm, puree it.
Again heat butter in a pan, add minced ginger and chilies and saute for few seconds in low heat.
Strain the tomato puree directly to the butter mixture and mix well. Discard the reduce from the tomato puree.
Add red chili powder and salt. mix well and cook it in low heat until raw smell disappear from the gravy or cook it further for 3 ~ 4 minutes in low heat.
Add cooked tandoori chicken pieces to the gravy and cook it for 2 minutes.
Add Cream, honey to this gravy and cook it for a minute.
Finally add crushed fenugreek leaves and mix it.
Turn off the heat and transfer to serving bowl and Serve with butter naan or any Indian breads.
