A very popular dish all over the world. Murgh Makhani is commonly known as Butter Chicken. Chicken Makhani – the word makhan means butter in the Indian language Hindi.
Butter Chicken/ Murgh Makhani
Course: MainCuisine: North IndianDifficulty: Medium5-6
servings1
hour10
minutesA very popular dish all over the world. Murgh Makhani is commonly known as Butter Chicken. Chicken Makhani – the word makhan means butter in the Indian language Hindi. That is how this dish has been translated into English as Butter chicken. Cream when it goes through a process of cooking turns into butter. This is a very pleasing curry dish to every palate. It brings several memories back to me. It is a heart throb dish of a lot of my customers from a toddler to the senior citizens in my previous Food business.
This is a very rich nutritious dish. The several spices used in the making of the masala for this curry has immense health benefits.
Ingredients
Chicken (diced) – 1 kg / 2.2lbs
Onions (chopped) – 1 cup
Tomato /Plum Tomato (chopped) – 1
Tomato puree – 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts – 1/3 cup
Fresh cream – 350 – 400ml/ 11.83- 13.50oz
Kashmiri Chilis – 8 – 10
Cinnamon – 3 sticks of 1 inch size each
Cloves – 6 – 8
Cardamom – 6 – 8
Bay leaves – 4
Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds – 2 tsps.
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Kastoori Methi (dry fenugreek leaves) – 2 tsps.
Oil / ghee 7-8 tbsps.
Water 1 liter / 33.8 oz
Coriander seeds – 3 tsps.
Directions
- In a pan heat 1 tbsp. of oil and sauté cumin seeds, coriander seeds, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fenugreek seeds and Kashmiri chilis until it releases the aroma.
- Cool the spices. Add water and grind to a smooth paste in a blender.
- Heat 2 tbsps. of oil, add onions, when they are translucent, then add cashew nuts and tomatoes. Sauté until the tomatoes are soft. Cool this mix and grind to a smooth paste.
- Next add remaining oil in a pan and sauté the chicken for a few minutes.
- Add the ground masala paste to the chicken, add salt, tomato puree and some water. Mix well. Cook for a couple of minutes.
- Now add the cashew, onion, and tomato mix paste and tomato puree to this. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Add water to adjust the consistency as required.
- Cream is added at this stage. Simmer till the curry begins to bubble or until the Chicken is fully cooked. If the gravy looks thick, adjust the consistency by adding water.
- Add kastoori methi and simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Finally transfer the curry to a serving dish and swirl some fresh cream on top and sprinkle some kastoori methi.
Notes
- For a less calorie content one can use evaporated milk or fresh milk instead of cream. When adding the evaporated milk or fresh milk, make sure to bring the saucepan away from the flame / heat. Add a small amount of water to slightly cool the chicken, then add the evaporated milk or fresh milk. This will prevent the milk from curdling.
