Butter chicken, also known as murgh makhani, is a classic Indian dish of chicken cooked in a creamy tomato-butter sauce. It’s an all-time favorite dish both in India and around the world. The roots of the dish can be traced back to the early 1950s in the Indian city of Delhi.
It is said that the dish was created by Kundan Lal Gujral, the owner of the Moti Mahal restaurant. Gujral was looking for a way to use up leftover tandoori chicken, so he created a thick and creamy sauce made from tomato puree, butter, cream and spices. The dish was an instant hit and is now enjoyed all over the world.
Recipe for Making a Great Butter Chicken
Ingredients:
-2 lbs of boneless chicken
-3 tablespoons of garlic paste
-3 tablespoons of ginger paste
-1 cup of plain yoghurt
-2 tablespoons of garam masala
-2 tablespoons of ground cumin
-1 teaspoon of ground cardamom
-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
-2 tablespoons of butter
-1 onion, finely chopped
-1 cinnamon stick
-2 bay leaves
-2 cups of tomato puree
-1 cup of heavy cream
-2 tablespoons of sugar
-Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
Kitchen Equipment Needed:
-Large bowl
-Whisk
-Large pot
-Wooden spoon
-Colander
Cooking Time:
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Cooking Instructions:
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, garlic paste, ginger paste, yoghurt, garam masala, cumin, and cardamom. Mix the ingredients together and let the chicken marinate for at least an hour.
- Heat the oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves and cook for 5 minutes until the onion is soft and fragrant.
- Add the marinated chicken to the pot and stir to combine. Cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add the tomato puree, cream, and sugar and stir to combine. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
- Serve the butter chicken with rice, naan bread, and fresh coriander leaves.
How to Make it Spicy:
If you want to make your butter chicken spicy, you can add more garam masala, cumin, and chili powder to the marinade. You can also add some cayenne pepper or red chili flakes to the sauce while it’s simmering.
Garnishes and Sides:
The perfect accompaniments to butter chicken are chutneys, onions, and cucumber raita. To garnish, you can sprinkle some fresh coriander leaves or top it with some crispy fried onions. Serve it with naan bread or basmati rice for a complete meal.
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