Butter Chicken - Chrysl

Recipe by Chrysl Castelino 

















Ingredients:
500 gms chicken (large pieces on the bone)
4 large tomatoes (roughly chopped)
1/2" ginger (chopped)
6-8 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 bay leaves 
4-5 cloves 
1" cinnamon
4-5 cashew nuts
4-5 cardamom pods 
2 tbsp tomato paste 
2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder 
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp kasuri methi
2 tbsp butter 
2 tbsp oil 
4 tbsp fresh cream
2 tsp sugar/honey 
salt to taste

For The Marinade 
2 tbsp thick yoghurt
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder 
1/2 tsp turmeric powder 
Juice of 1 lime 
1 tbsp oil 
salt to taste

Steps:
  1. Wash the chicken pieces and drain all the excess water.
  2. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and apply it evenly onto all the chicken pieces. Let it marinate for a few hours.
  3. In a wok, heat 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil.
  4. Add bay leaves, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon and fry till aromatic.
  5. Add the chopped ginger and garlic, fry for a minute or two.
  6. Next add the chopped tomatoes and fry on high flame.
  7. Add tomato paste and continue to fry till the tomatoes turn soft.
  8. Now lower the flame, add the kashmiri chilli powder and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
  9. Turn the heat up and add half a cup of water and bring to a boil.
  10. Add the cashew nuts and mix.
  11. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes until the tomatoes are mushy. Cool completely and grind to a fine paste.
  12. Strain the masala paste and set aside.
  13. Meanwhile, preheat the airfrier to 200°C for 3 minutes. Place the marinated chicken pieces in the airfrier and cook for 20 minutes, turning the sides after 10 minutes. Alternatively,  you could cook the chicken in an oven or fry in a pan till well done.
  14. Once the chicken is fried, cut them into smaller pieces and set aside.
  15. Heat 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil in the wok and add the ground masala paste. Fry the masala for a few minutes.
  16. Add in kasuri methi, sugar/ honey and salt to taste. Bring it to a boil.
  17. If the gravy is too thick add the ground masala water and adjust the consistency.
  18. Now add the fried chicken pieces. Cover and cook for 5 minutes on low heat.
  19. Add garam masala and fresh cream and mix thoroughly.
  20. Serve hot with fresh homemade naan or rotis.
  21. ENJOY!

Notes: