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Authentic Butter Chicken Recipe
Delhi, India
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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
The essential elements of butter chicken are tandoori-cooked, bone-in, chicken pieces and a mild curry gravy consisting of tomatoes, butter, and cream. The chicken is marinated in spices and yogurt or cream for at least a few hours, but best if overnight, and then roasted in a clay oven (tandoor). The meat can be grilled or pan-fried instead of roasted, and the spices used in the marinade vary as each chef has his preferred combination. However, spices like garam masala, ginger, garlic, lemon, chili, turmeric, and much more are typically called for in most recipes. Once the meat is done, it is simmered in butter, tomato, and cream curry that is seasoned with a variety of spices, typically red chili powder, turmeric, cumin, and fenugreek leaves. The gravy can be thickened with cashew paste, and the cream can be used as a garnish instead of being added to the sauce. When done, butter chicken is garnished with a sprinkle of green chilies or coriander and served either ladled over ... Read more
Serve With
Cooking tips
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fenugreek substitutes
Perhaps surprisingly, your best choice is maple syrup. It contains a compound stolone, responsible for both the flavor and the aroma, also found in the fenugreek leaves. You should use if sparingly because you do not want your dish overly sweet and it's best to add it near the end of cooking as its flavor may fade during cooking. Other alternatives include mustard seeds and greens or a pinch of curry ... Read more -
serving
There are only two ways you can serve butter chicken. A more traditional way would be to serve it with naan flatbread, but serving it ladled over a bowl of white rice is also common.
Recipe variations
Simple Butter Chicken
PREP 10min
COOK 35min
READY IN 45min
The following recipe gives instructions on preparing a much-simplified version of butter chicken. The meat is boneless chicken meat cut up into cubes that need not be marinated, considerably shortening the length of preparation.
Ingredients
Simple Butter Chicken
4 tbsp oil
100 gm butter
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 kg chicken, boneless cubes
300 gm tomatoes, blended
1 ½ tsp red chilli powder
1 ½ tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp curry powder
salt, to taste
4 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
300 gm fresh cream
1 piece ginger, in strips
FOR GARNISH
green chillies
2 tbsp green coriander, chopped
Preparation
1
Simple Butter Chicken
Step 1/4
Sauté the chicken and ginger-garlic paste in oil until the chicken has turned golden brown on all sides, then add the butter and blended tomatoes.
Step 2/4
Cook while stirring for two to three minutes, then start adding the aromatics and seasoning; red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt. As you stir them in, the oil should separate at which point add the dried fenugreek leaves.
Step 3/4
Next, pour in the fresh cream, and add ginger cut into strips. Cover with a lid, and let simmer for a few minutes.
Step 4/4
To serve, ladle over a bowl of rice and garnish with a sprinkle of green chilies and green coriander.
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