Chicken Curry (Butter chicken) o curry de pollo
BUTTER CHICKEN / MURGH MAKHNI
By Malabar Road
The most ordered non vegetarian dish in New Delhi restaurants and one of India´s most iconic and internationally renowned dishes, was created in the 1950´s by the owners of the Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi, Kundan Lal Jaggi and Kundan Lal Gujral, Punjabi Hindus who migrated form Peshawar (today in Pakistan´s Punjab) to the Indian capital after Partition.
Originally it was a way of using leftover tandoori chicken (with bone) or chicken tikka (boneless pieces) which was mixed into a tomato and butter gravy. So, this is a two in one recipe: chicken tikka and butter chicken
Serves 6
For the Chicken tikka
This an authentic chicken tikka recipe. No shortcuts. So good that it serves perfectly on its own, whenever you want something without gravy, for a summer barbecue or to serve as finger food, with coriander and mint chutney and red onion rings.
The chicken undergoes two marinations, short and long and it is then cooked on a hot griddle, or under the oven grill or over charcoal
First Marination
1 kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 3-4 pieces
1,5 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chili powder or Kashmiri or dergi red chili powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1,5 tbsp White wine vinegar
Mix everything and marinate for 20-30 min. In the meantime, prepare the second marination
Second marination
1 tbsp besan (chickpea flour)
1 tbsp sunflower or other neutral vegetable oil
1,5 tbsp Indian mustard seeds oil (optional)
500gr yoghurt drained for 2-3 hours in a colander or inside a cheese cloth with the corners tied up and hung over the sink or a container for 2-3 hours till it weights approx. 250 gr. If you are used to make labneh, you might be familiar with the technique
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp red chili powder or Kashmiri red chili powder
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp Garam Masala
½ tsp kala namak or black salt (Indian black salt, which is pink colour, with a sulphur smell and it is not Himalayan salt)
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp amchoor powder (dried mango powder)
1 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) crushed to a powder between your palms
Butter to baste, melted
Heat the sunflower oil, add the chickpea flour and cook for a couple of minutes on medium heat to make a roux. Cool.
If using mustard oil, heat it up to smoking point, remove from heat and leave to cool.
Mix well all the rest of the ingredients of the marinade. Add the cooled roux and mustard oil and mix
Drain all the liquid that might have come out from the chicken after the first marination. Combine the chicken with the yoghurt mix, making sure all the pieces are well coated, cover and marinate for 4 hours or overnight in the fridge
To cook the chicken, you can use skewers if you want to barbecue it, or directly on a hot griddle or cast-iron pan. Don´t crowd the pan and cook till charred spots appear and it is done inside, turning it a couple of times and lightly basting with butter.
If you want to cook it in the oven, heat up to the maximum temperature. Place the chicken on a rack and the rack over an oven tray lined with foil. Baste with butter. When your oven is hot, turn on the grill and place the tray under it. Cook till charred spots appear and it is done inside, turning it halfway through and basting again with butter.
That´s your chicken tikka
For the Butter chicken
1 kg cooked chicken tikka
2 tbsp sunflower or neutral oil
5 tbsp of butter
2 Indian bay leaves or tej patta (do not use Mediterranean bay leaves. If you can´t find Indian one, skip it)
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp tomato paste
500 gr very ripe and red tomatoes, blended or crushed can tomatoes
1 tsp red chili powder or Kashmiri or dergi red chili powder
½ tsp sugar
1 tsp salt or to taste
2 tbsp of cashew or almond paste (cashew or almonds soaked in hot water for 30 min and blended to a paste, using a little water if necessary)
1 cp milk
2 tbsp full cream, beaten, plus some to garnish
1,5 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) crushed to a powder between your palms
1 tsp Garam Masala
Julienned ginger to garnish
In a large pan, heat the oil and 2 tbsp of butter. Add the bay leaves and ginger garlic paste, and cook for 2-3 minutes, till the raw smell is gone. Add the tomato paste, blended tomatoes, red chili powder, sugar salt and cook on medium heat till most of the tomato water evaporates, the oils separates, and it resembles a paste. Add the nut paste, cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat and cool for 10-15 minutes.
Add the milk and water to the desired consistency (1/2 to 1 cp), mix well, return to the stove and cook on medium low stirring, till it comes to a boil. Add the chicken and 2 tbsp of butter and cook for 3-4 minutes till the gravy becomes red and bright. Mix in 2 tbsp of beaten cream and remove from the stove. Add the dried fenugreek leaves and garam masala and nix well. Check the seasoning for salt and sugar.
I strongly recommend letting it rest in the fridge for 10-12 hours before serving. Reheat it, adding water if necessary, and serve wit a swirl of cream, some julienned ginger and the remaining tablespoon of butter scattered on top.
Great with naan, parathas, roti or rice.
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