Butter Chicken/ Murg Makhani

The weather sucks out here in Gothenburg.......I mean how can there be heavy snow fall one day with chilling winds one day, rains the next day and rising temperatures to follow! ...and the cycle repeats itself....There has to be some consistency somewhere!!

Anyway but even in this ridiculous weather the prospect of eating butter chicken that day, even if it meant hours of preparation and cooking made me extremely happy. Let me tell you its pretty simple to make butter chicken at home if you have all the right ingredients on hand and are ready to spend hours in the kitchen. Lets just start of with the longggggggg ingredient list...

Here it goes:-

      For the Gravy                                                    For Marination

    * 4 Tomatoes roughly chopped(Nice Red)               300gms. Chicken Breast

    * 1 tbsp Oil                                                         1/2 tbsp Red Chilli powder

    * 1 tsp Cumin Seeds                                             1/2 tsp Garam Masala

    * 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds                                      1 tsp Coriander powder

    * 1 tsp Fennel Seeds                                             2 tbsp thick Yogurt

    * 1 Bay Leaf                                                        1 tsp Cumin powder

    * 3-4 Green Cardamom                                         1/2 tsp Kasoori methi

    * 3-4 Black Peppercorns                                        1 tbsp Lemon juice

    * 3-4 Cloves                                                         1/2 tsp Salt

    * 3 tbsp Butter

    * 1 1/2 tsp Kasoori Methi

    * 1 tbsp Sugar and/or honey ( I added both)

    * 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste

    * 1 tsp Red Chilli powder

    * 1/3 cup Cream

    * Salt to taste

   

For Chicken Marination:

1. Preheat the oven on 200 0 C. Take chicken breast, cut in thin strips, wash well and pat dry using paper towel or napkin.
2.  Mix in red chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt, kasoori methi, add some lemon juice, yogurt, in a deep bowl.
3. Add chicken pieces, mix well with marinade, cover and keep it covered for 1 hour.

4. After one hour transfer marinated chicken in greased baking tray, drizzle some oil over it and bake for 15 to 20 minutes on 200 0 C.

For Masala:
1. Heat up oil a tbsp oil, add cumin seeds, whole garam spices, coriander seeds and cook till nice aroma come out from spices and they change its color.

2. Add ginger-garlic paste. Add fenel seeds, mix and cook for a minute.
3. Add tomatoes, sprinkle some salt, mix, cover and cook for 5 to 7 mins. This way you will be able to maintain the nice red colour that you require for the gravy instead of adding artificial food colour.

4. Once the tomatoes get cooked remove it from fire and let it cool down. 

5. Grind the mixture well to make a very smooth puree.
 

For Gravy:
1. Heat up 3 tbsp butter, add ground masala paste straining (to remove the skin and seeds of tomatoes) it directly into the butter, red chilli powder and cook till oil starts to separate from spices.

2. Add baked chicken pieces along with its juices, kasoori  methi, cover and cook for 5-8 mins on medium heat.

3. Check for the salt. Add sugar and/or honey. Mix it well. Add fresh cream and mix well.

4. Serve hot garnished with fresh cream.