Butter Chicken, 8 servings
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Marinated Chicken · Step 1 of 5
Pat 1000 g boneless chicken thighs dry and toss it in a bowl with 22 to 30 ml lemon juice, 5 to 7.5 ml Kashmiri chili powder and 2.5 to 3.5 ml salt. Cover and leave for 20 min.
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Marinated Chicken · Step 2 of 5
Add 155 ml Greek yogurt or hung curd, 22 ml ginger garlic paste, 1 ml ground turmeric, 7.5 to 10 ml garam masala, 5 ml ground cumin, 10 ml ground coriander, 10 ml kasuri methi and 22 to 30 ml neutral oil. Mix until every piece is coated.
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Marinated Chicken · Step 3 of 5
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 min, or overnight for the most tender result.
4 °C
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Marinated Chicken · Step 4 of 5
Take the chicken out of the fridge while you make the gravy so it loses its chill.
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Marinated Chicken · Step 5 of 5
Heat 30 ml butter or ghee, for searing on a griddle or cast iron pan until hot. Lay the chicken in with space between the pieces and cook over medium heat for 2 min, then turn and cook the other side. Work in two or three batches.
marinade dried onto the chicken and browned in spots
chicken just cooked through or slightly underdone, not dry
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Makhani Gravy · Step 1 of 7
If using 260 g onion, fry it in 30 ml neutral oil, for the onion over medium heat until lightly golden, then let it cool.
soft and pale gold, not brown
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Makhani Gravy · Step 2 of 7
Blend 1200 g ripe tomatoes, the fried onion, 84 g whole raw cashews (about 28) and 235 ml water, for blending to a completely smooth puree.
no grit of cashew left when rubbed between your fingers
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Makhani Gravy · Step 3 of 7
Melt 30 to 59 ml butter or ghee in a heavy pan over medium heat and add 2 cinnamon stick (5 cm piece), 4 to 8 pods green cardamom pods and 4 to 8 whole cloves.
spices sizzle and smell fragrant
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Makhani Gravy · Step 4 of 7
Stir in 22 ml ginger garlic paste and 2 to 4 green chilies. Fry on low heat for 1 min to 2 min.
raw garlic smell gone
paste not browned
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Makhani Gravy · Step 5 of 7
Turn off the heat and stir in 10 to 20 ml Kashmiri chili powder, half of 10 to 15 ml garam masala, 10 to 15 ml ground coriander and 5 ml ground cumin, so the ground spices toast in the residual heat without burning.
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Makhani Gravy · Step 6 of 7
Pour in the tomato and cashew puree, passing it through a sieve if it is not perfectly smooth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat with the lid partly on, then lower the heat and cook, stirring now and then.
puree has thickened and darkened
it splutters and coats the spoon
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Makhani Gravy · Step 7 of 7
Add 475 ml hot water and simmer for 10 min. Fish out and discard the whole spices.
gravy thick and creamy
droplets of fat visible on the surface
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Finishing · Step 1 of 3
Add the seared chicken to the gravy. If it looks too thick, loosen it with a splash of hot water. Cover and simmer gently until the chicken is tender.
chicken tender and cooked through
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Finishing · Step 2 of 3
Stir in 5 to 7.5 ml salt, 10 ml sugar, 15 ml kasuri methi and the rest of the garam masala. Taste; add another knob of butter if you like.
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Finishing · Step 3 of 3
Turn off the heat and stir in most of 160 to 200 ml heavy cream. Drizzle the rest on top and scatter with 59 ml coriander leaves. Serve with naan, jeera rice or plain basmati.