Butter Chicken (authentic)

[brettrobo]

INGREDIENTS:

1 kg of boneless chicken - skin removed
Juice of 1 lime or lemon
2 tsp of salt for the marinade ( i prefer salt flakes these days )
1tsp red chilli powder
6 cloves
8-10 peppercorns
1" stick of cinnamon
2 bay leaves
8-10 Almonds or cashews
Seeds from 3-4 pods of Cardamom
1 cup of fresh yoghurt (not sour)
3 tlbs vege/canola/sunflower oil
2 chopped onions
2 tsp finely grated garlic
1 tsp finely grated ginger
2 tsp corriander powder
1 tsp cuming powder
1/4 tsp tumeric powder
400ml Tomato Puree
500ml chicken stock
3 tsp unmelted, soft butter
Salt to taste (for the saucepan)
Corriander leaves to garnish if you like , but personally i dont bother



METHOD:

Mix the Chicken, Lime/Lemon juice, 2 tsp salt & red chilli powder in a large - non metallic bowl. Cover and allow to marinate for about 1 hour
In a flat pan on medium heat gently dry roast (stirring frequently) the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, bay leaves and Almonds/Cashews til they darken slightly. Cool and add the cardamon seeds. Grind to a coarse powder using a Mortar & Pestle
Mix the Yoghurt, above spice powder (from the previous step), corriander, cumin and tumeric powders together and add them to the chicken.
Allow them to matinate for another hour.
Heat the oil in a deep pan on medium heat. When hot add the onions. Fry til a pale golden brown in colour and then add the ginger and garlic. Fry for a minute.
Add only the Chicken from the Chicken spice mix and fry til sealed (the chicken will turn opaque and the flesh will go from pink to whitish on colour)
Now add the tomato puree, chicken stock and remaining part of the yoghurt spice mix to the chicken.
Cook til the chicken is tender and the sauce/gracy is reduced to half its original volume
Melt the butter in another small pan and then pir it over the chicken
Garnish with Corriander leaves if you choose and serve with Naan / Daal & or RICE

Note: for a more cramy butter chicken some add a few dollops of cream just before serving


Butter Chicken - Marinade by Brett Robinson, on Flickr

Butter Chicken - Spices by Brett Robinson, on Flickr

Butter Chicken - Onion Garlic and Ginger by Brett Robinson, on Flickr

Butter Chicken - Cook the Chicken by Brett Robinson, on Flickr

Butter Chicken - Add Stock, tomato and Yogurt by Brett Robinson, on Flickr

Butter Chicken - Simmer for 2 hours by Brett Robinson, on Flickr

Butter Chicken - Final Product by Brett Robinson, on Flickr

[Pickle]

looks good bret fantastic photos!

[brettrobo]

looks good bret fantastic photos!

cheers champ, that was from last week, i got another batch in the fridge marinating for 24 hours, ill let you know how much of a difference it makes

[Mordy]

Looks great Brett, will have to try that one.
I have an old coffee gringer for my seeds , pepper cardamons or what ever.
Freshly ground doesn't compare to that packet ground stuff.
Thanks
Hungry already
Tony

[brettrobo]

I have an old coffee gringer for my seeds , pepper cardamons or what ever.
Freshly ground doesn't compare to that packet ground stuff.

its funny you say that.
the spices we get at your standard supermarket (even when you do grind them yourself) are so old/dry that there is little flavour
when i get a chance im going to try to get to the markets to pick up the fresh stuff.

i have another batch of butter chicken simmering away at the moment. this time a 24 hour marinade of the chicken as well as a slowwer simmer/reduction.
im adding cream to this one as well at the end to make it look more like your common butter chicken

ill post pics when done (i used the SLR for the pics of the latest one)

[Mordy]

Never ground an SLR before
I havent seen fresh spices either, tend to get mine in big packets from springvale, a lot cheaper that those little packs from the supermarket.
Lately I buy them in seed form and then grind as required.
Even freshly ground pepper actually smells of peper rather than nothing.
The old coffee grinder is great for making dubbing for fly / tying fishing too.
Just put some slips of wool, flash or what ever in the grinder (about an inch long, depending on the fly your tying) and give it a blast
Comes out like fairy floss.
P.s if you ever have the misfortune of me to offer you a ground coffee, go for the instant!!
Nice work
T