Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken or Murgh Makhani, is an Indian dish which is loved by all and personally it's my favourite too.

Rich and smooth gravy, makes the dish Supreme.

Lets begin with the recipe -

Ingredients for Butter Chicken:

For Chicken Marination:

• Chicken - 300 gms, (Boneless or with Bone, small pieces)
• Garlic paste - 1.5 tsp
• Ginger paste - 1.5 tsp
• Kashmiri red chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Curd - 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 2 tsp
• Salt

For Gravy:

• Oil
• Tomatoes - 4
• Onion - 1
• Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Ginger paste - 1 tsp
• Sugar/Honey - 1 tsp
• Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Star anise -1 
• Cloves - 2
• Black peppercorns - 4
• Cashew nut- 4
• Almonds - 3
• Butter - 2 tsp
• Cream
• Water - 1.5 cup
• Garam masala - 1 tsp

Let's follow the steps:

• Marinate the chicken pieces with garlic- ginger paste, kashmiri red chilli powder, curd, lemon juice, and salt.
• Kashmiri red chilli powder gives a good red colour to the chicken. 
• Optional - You can use red food colour (2 drops) also instead of Kashmiri red chilli powder.
• Keep the chicken for 1 to 2 hours.
• Cut tomatoes into half and remove the seeds. Put the tomatoes in a sauce pan and boil.
• Once the tomatoes are boiled, peel of the skin and let it cool down.
• Chop onions roughly and blend it with tomatoes to make a smooth puree.
• Now make a smooth paste of cashew nuts and almonds too.
• Optional: You can keep almonds soaked in water for overnight, then peel of the skin and make a paste of almonds.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry the marinated chicken pieces. Cook it over medium heat with less oil.
• Note: Chicken pieces should be properly cooked.
• Once chicken is cooked, take out the chicken on a kitchen tissue.
• Now in the same pan, put butter. Before, butter gets burnt, add star anise, cloves, black peppercorns, ginger - garlic paste. Fry for 2 minutes.
• Then, add the onion - tomato puree and cashew nut - almond paste. Cook for 5 minutes.
• Pour water to the gravy.
• Add salt, red chilli powder, cumin powder, cinnamon powder, cardamom powder, and coriander powder. Mix well. 
• Put the lid and let it cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
• The colour of the gravy will start changing. If you notice layer of oil in the gravy, sprinkle sugar/honey and also add fresh cream.
• Cook for more 5 minutes.
• Lastly, before putting of the flame, add butter - 1 tsp and garam masala.
• Mix well. Also, add the chicken pieces and cover the pan with a lid,
• Put off the flame.
• Serve hot with butter nan or rotis/flat bread.

Serve Hot and Enjoy your rich meal..!!