Butter Chicken, · 4 servings

Pat 500 g boneless chicken thighs dry and toss it in a bowl with ≈ 11 to 15 g lemon juice, ≈ 1 to 1.5 g Kashmiri chili powder and ≈ 1.5 to 2 g salt. Cover and leave for 20 min.

Add 85 g Greek yogurt or hung curd, ≈ 13 g ginger garlic paste, ≈ 0.4 g ground turmeric, 1.5 to 2 g garam masala, ≈ 1 g ground cumin, ≈ 2 g ground coriander, ≈ 0.5 g kasuri methi and ≈ 10 to 14 g neutral oil. Mix until every piece is coated.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 min, or overnight for the most tender result.

Take the chicken out of the fridge while you make the gravy so it loses its chill.

Heat ≈ 14 g 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.

If using 130 g onion, fry it in ≈ 14 g neutral oil, for the onion over medium heat until lightly golden, then let it cool.

Blend 600 g ripe tomatoes, the fried onion, 42 g whole raw cashews (about 28) and ≈ 120 g water, for blending to a completely smooth puree.

Melt ≈ 14 to 28 g butter or ghee in a heavy pan over medium heat and add 2 g cinnamon stick (5 cm piece), ≈ 0.4 to 0.8 g green cardamom pods and ≈ 0.2 to 0.4 g whole cloves.

Stir in ≈ 13 g ginger garlic paste and ≈ 4 to 8 g green chilies. Fry on low heat for 1 min to 2 min.

Turn off the heat and stir in ≈ 2.5 to 4.5 g Kashmiri chili powder, half of 2 to 3 g garam masala, ≈ 2 to 2.5 g ground coriander and ≈ 1 g ground cumin, so the ground spices toast in the residual heat without burning.

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.

Add ≈ 235 g hot water and simmer for 10 min. Fish out and discard the whole spices.

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.

Stir in ≈ 3 to 4.5 g salt, ≈ 4 g sugar, ≈ 0.8 g kasuri methi and the rest of the garam masala. Taste; add another knob of butter if you like.

Turn off the heat and stir in most of ≈ 80 to 100 g heavy cream. Drizzle the rest on top and scatter with ≈ 2 g coriander leaves. Serve with naan, jeera rice or plain basmati.