Butter chicken / Murgh Makhani

Butter chicken is one of my most favorite dish in my childhood days. Whenever I go to restaurant or my dad getting parcel from restaurant, my first answer to the question, what you want is butter chicken. Yesterday my hubby asked me to cook a creamy chicken curry, so thought of preparing restaurant style butter chicken and it came out very well. It is very easy to prepare and the taste is delicious when we have with rotis. Butter chicken or Murgh Makhani is an Indian dish in which chicken is cooked in mild spicy creamy curry sauce.

Prep time: 2 hours 15 minutes (including marinating time)

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total time: 2 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Chicken – 1 lb (medium sized pieces)

For marinating:

Yoghurt – 2 tbsp

Red chili powder – 3 tsp

Salt to taste

Lemon juice – 2 tbsp

For masala paste:

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Red chili powder – 2 tsp

Coriander powder – 3 tsp

Cumin powder – 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Sugar – 1 tsp

Fenugreek leaves / kasuri methi – ½ tsp

Red food color – a pinch

Water as needed

For Gravy:

Butter – 5 tbsp

Onion – 1, finely chopped

Tomato puree – 1 cup

Milk – 1/4cup

Cornflour – 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Cilantro for garnish

Method:

1. Clean the chicken and marinate it with the ingredients given under “for marinating” and refrigerate it for 2 hours.

2. In a mean time prepare the masala paste with the ingredients given under “ for masala paste”

3. Heat 2 tbsp butter in a pan, Add the marinated chicken and fry until its cooked. Keep aside

4. Heat 3 tbsp butter in a pan, saute onions till translucent, Add the masala paste and fry for about 6 to 7 minutes.

5. Now add tomato puree and cover the lid. Cook in low flame until oil seperates.

6. Add chicken pieces and cook for about 10 to 12 minutes.

7. Now mix 2 tsp of cornflour in ¼ cup of milk and pour into the chicken.

8. Cook in low flame for about 10 minutes, this will give creamy texture to the gravy.

9. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rotis.