Butter Chicken - World Famous Recipe

Butter Chicken is a very famous dish, not only in India but all over the world and mostly between people who visit India from other countries have tried this tasty and yummy, mouth licking food. though we all know that butter chicken was inherited by the Punjabi community and it is for them that this food item got its popularity, but originally butter chicken was invented by the Muslim community.

Butter Chicken was actually accidentally invented as a way of re-cycling left over tandoori chicken. In olden days within the Muslim community, the left over tandoori chicken was added in a tomato gravy with some butter to give smoothness and glaze to the chicken and was eaten during meals. however in due course of time this recipe became popular as butter chicken.

By now you all know what is my today's recipe, I thought of why not make restaurant style butter chicken at home and when I did I instantly also thought of sharing the recipe with all my friends, so what are we waiting for, Let's Begin.....

Ingredients & Steps:

We first need to prepare the tandoori chicken, for this you would need..

• 250 g to 300 g of boneless chicken (cut into small pieces or cubes)

First we need to marinate the chicken, before we cook them.

• Take a mixing bowl
• Add 2 tsp turmeric
• Add 2 tsp red chilly powder
• Add 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• Add salt to taste
• Add 3 drops of red food color
• Add melted butter
• Add the chicken cubes or pieces

Mix everything well, so that the chicken pieces are coated evenly with the spices.

Leave it for 15 to 20 minutes.

Now heat up a frying pan.

• Put 1 tbsp oil
• Fry these marinated chicken pieces for 3 minutes

Take them out on a baking tray.

Put them inside oven.

• Cook / Roast them inside oven for 5 to 7 minutes (keep a check, they should not get burnt)

Now to give the charring look.

• Burn each piece of chicken over gas flame for 1 minute

Keep them aside, to be used later and let us prepare the gravy for butter chicken.

The most important aspect of butter chicken is the gravy, the gravy has to be perfect for the chicken to taste yummy.

For preparing the gravy you would need to take...

• 4 big size tomato (roughly cut / cut into halves)
• 2 - 3 big size onion (roughly cut or sliced)
• 3 to 4 cloves of garlic (roughly cut)
• 1" ginger (sliced)
• 20 g cashew (kaju)
• 1 tbsp degi mirch
• 5 - 6 syzygium aromaticum (clove / laung)
• 3 - 4 bay leaves (tej patta)
  
• 1" cinnamon (dalchini) stick
• 6 to 7 whole black pepper (gota gol mirch)
• 6 tbsp butter (Cm'on - it is butter chicken after all)
• 2 green small cardamon (chota elaichi)

Cook everything gently over medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes.

• Add 250 ml of water
• Add Salt to taste

Close the lid and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

Once the tomatoes are soft, blend everything. (You can use a mixer grinder or hand blender).

Get a smooth paste out of it.

Strain it further, using a strainer so that no chunks or big pieces are there.

Repeat the grinding or blending process with the big pieces.

The butter chicken gravy is ready.

So now we have the chicken ready, we have the gravy ready, what we need to do now is add the chicken into the gravy and cook it to perfection. I will elaborate on how to do it, just follow the instructions.

• Heat up a pan
• Add 3 tbsp butter, let it melt
• Add 1/2 tbsp red chilly powder
• Add 1 tsp coriander (dhania) powder
• Mix it, then add the gravy
• Add 4 tbsp fresh cream
• Add 1 tsp honey or sugar
• Add the chicken
• Add 2 drops of kewra water
• Add 7 - 8 strands of kesar (saffron)

Cook well until boil.

(TIP: If you see gravy is too thick then add little boiled milk).

• Add 1 tbsp kasturi methi (dried fenugreek leaves, toasted and crushed).

Cook for another 5 minutes

Transfer the butter chicken into a big pan

Place a small burnt charcoal in a katori and pour some ghee (clarified butter).

Float the katori on the butter chicken

Close the lid of the pan and leave it for 5 minutes.

Butter Chicken - World Famous Recipe is complete and is ready to be served.

Garnish with fine chopped coriander sprigs (dhania patta), fresh cream and spoon full of butter on top.

Serving Size: 2 person

Have it with Rumali Roti, Laccha Paratha, Naan or bread & rice of your choice.