Ingredients
- On Diwali in 2017 I had the good fortune to meet the owner of a south Mumbai restaurant best known for its legendary Butter chicken. Butter chicken is one of India's most popular dishes world wide. Often called Chicken Makhani the general impression is that it has butter in it. The original creators of this Delhi dish Moti Mahal's Kundan Lal Gujral it is believed use white butter in their recipe. But a conversation with this Mumbai restauranteur who has been dishing out butter chicken to hungry Mumbaikers for over half a century revealed that they use no butter in this recipe at all. He went on to give me an 'andaaza' recipe (andaaza means approximate) and made me promise that I wouldn't reveal the name of his restaurant and would tweak it enough to make it just slightly different from his version. I went home and tried 4 different versions of his recipe. The recipe that follows is one that is easier for home chefs like you and I to prepare for our families in a regular kitchen.
- Chicken Tikka masala is a British creation and quite similar to Butter chicken except that it uses chicken tikka (kebabs) instead of shredded Tandoori chicken and tomatoes from a can. Food historians argue that butter chicken was turned into Chicken Tikka Masala by a British chef who used a can of readymade tomato puree and cream and dunked chicken tikka in it. Balbir Singh's Shahi Chicken masala is the original recipe upon which it is based. Possibly tracing the roots of some of these recipes will never quite lead us to an exact answer but eventually the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The Bombay and Delhi versions differ a bit as well.
- If you can find tinned peeled tomatoes you will get a better color in your final recipe. You will need only 1 kg if you use already cooked and peeled tomatoes. Since we are using a dash of Tandoori masala we don't need mustard oil in the recipe.
- SERVES 8-9
- FOR THE RED SAUCE
- 1.25 KG RED PLUM TOMATOES, WASHED AND QUARTERED
- 2 TBSP VEGETABLE OIL (NOT OLIVE OIL) AND 2 TBSP WHITE OR REGULAR BUTTER
- 1/4 CUP TOMATO PASTE
- 8 LARGE GARLIC WHOLE (omit for Jain)
- 3 INCHES OF PEELED GINGER ROOT COARSELY CHOPPED
- 6 WHOLE GREEN CARDAMOM PODS
- 3 INCHES OF CINNAMON STICK BROKEN INTO 2 PIECES
- 6 WHOLE CLOVES
- 3/4 TEASPOON KASURI METHI OR DRIED FENUGREEK LEAVES
- 2 TBPS TANDOORI MASALA PASTE (NOT POWDER)- A GOOD COMMERCIAL BRAND
- 1 GREEN CHILLI
- 50 GRAMS CASHEW PIECES UNROASTED, UNSALTED
- MORE WHITE BUTTER AND CREAM TO GARNISH
- FOR THE CREAM SAUCE
- 2 TBSP MAIDA OR ALL PURPOSE FLOUR OR RICE FLOUR
- 2 TBSP VEGETABLE OIL OR WHITE BUTTER
- 1 CUP WHOLE MILK
- 1/2 CUP HEAVY CREAM
- 2 TBSP MAWA OR SOLIDIFIED MILK SOLIDS
- 500-600 GRAMS SHREDDED TANDOORI CHICKEN
- 1-2 SPRIGS OF DRIED METHI OR CORIANDER TO GARNISH (OPTIONAL)
- SALT AND SUGAR TO TASTE
Instructions
- HEAT 2 TBSP OIL AND WHITE BUTTER AND SAUTE ALL THE WHOLE SPICES FOR 2 MINUTES UNTIL FRAGRANT AND SIZZLING IN A PRESSURE COOKER PAN. REMOVE WITH A SLOTTED SPOON AND DISCARD. COMBINE ALL THE INGREDIENTS FOR THE RED SAUCE EXCEPT THE CASHEWS IN A DUTCH OVEN LIKE POT OR LARGE SAUCEPAN. ADD WATER UNTIL THE TOMATOES ARE COVERED BY ABOUT 2 INCHES OF LIQUID.
- PRESSURE COOKER 3-4 WHISTLES UNTIL THE TOMATOES ARE TOTALLY PULPED.
- ADD THE CASHEWS AND COOK UNTIL MIXTURE IS THICK AND FRAGRANT. ADD MORE LIQUID IF REQUIRED.
- REMOVE FROM THE FIRE AND COOL.
- PUREE THE COOLED TOMATOES TO A SMOOTH PASTE. STRAIN THROUGH A SIEVE AND DISCARD THE FIBRES AND SKINS. BUTTER CHICKEN GRAVY MUST HAVE A SMOOTH TEXTURE
- ON A MEDIUM FLAME IN A NON-STICK SKILLET HEAT THE OIL OR BUTTER AND ADD THE FLOUR. STIR TO BLEND AND COOK UNTIL FLOUR IS BUBBLY BUT DO NOT BROWN. ADD THE CREAM AND STIR WELL. STIR IN THE MILK AND COOK 1 MINUTE. ADD THE MAWA AND STIR TO BLEND INTO A SMOOTH THICK PASTE. STRAIN THIS SAUCE WHILE HOT.
- STIR THE TOMATO PUREE INTO THE CREAM SAUCE AND MIX THROUGHLY.
- ADD THE SHREDDED TANDOORI CHICKEN PIECES AND SET ON A LOW FLAME.
- STIR REGULARLY TO PREVENT ANY BURNING. COOK 15 MINUTES OR SO. ADD SALT AND SUGAR TO BALANCE FLAVORS.
- REMOVE FROM FLAME, POUR INTO A SERVING DISH, GARNISH WITH CORIANDER OR DRIED METHI SPRIGS, BUTTER CREAM AND SERVE HOT WITH NAAN OR PLAIN BOILED RICE.
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