SHANTI HOME BUTTER CHICKEN
When in Delhi, Dani Venn and I were lucky enough to stay at Shanti Home where we were guided through a cooking class showing off an array of incredible Indian dishes, which we all gobbled up for dinner.
After my trip to India I came back with a number of secret recipes and incredible new dishes. This is one of may favourites and one that I think nearly everyone in the world is familiar with; Butter Chicken.
MAKES: 6-8 as apart of a shared Indian style meal
WHAT'S IN IT?
Marinade:
1 whole chicken, skin removed, segmented and flesh scored
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons ginger and garlic paste*
3 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 cup thick yoghurt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon crushed fenugreek leaves
Cashew Nut Puree:
1/2 cup raw cashew nuts
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
Gravy:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 bay leaf
8 cardamom pods
3 black cardamom pods
1 cinnamon quill
4 super ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 cup water
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons ghee
1 star anise
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaf, crushed
1 tablespoon honey
To serve:
Steamed basmati rice
Indian breads
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:
Marinade chicken pieces in non-reactive container with lemon juice, salt, three tablespoons of the ginger and garlic paste, one and a half teaspoons chili powder. Combine well, working marinade into the scored flesh and leave to marinade for two hrs.
While the chicken is marinading begin the cashew puree by adding cashew nuts to small pot adding enough water to just cover along with the red onion, salt and milk. Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, adding cashews and liquid to liquidiser or blender and blend until you have a smooth puree. Set aside until needed.
Once the chicken has finished marinading pour off excess marinading liquid*. Mix in yoghurt, oil, the remaining chili powder, ginger and garlic paste, turmeric and the fenugreek leaves coating well, again working into the scored flesh. Cook chicken on hot BBQ* or griddle pan so that you get nice and charred flesh and chicken is just cooked through*. Set aside ready to add to sauce.
Getting onto the gravy; in a large pan, add one bay leaf, four green cardamom, all the black cardamom and cinnamon, cooking in oil until aromatic adding tomatoes, stirring continually over high heat until the tomatoes begin to break down.
Once tomatoes have broken down add one cup of water, along with coriander powder, turmeric and chili powder. Cook simmering until tomatoes are further broken down for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly and add tomato mix to liquidiser or blender and blend until you have a smooth puree. Set aside.
To finish sauce, heat ghee in large pot over medium heat, add remaining cardamom, star anise and garlic paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes until aromatic. Add tomato puree, stir and cook on high heat to combine with new spices and ghee. Simmer.
Take the cashew paste and spoon into the pot, you may not need it all, just enough to begin to thicken the sauce. Combine well. Add cooked chicken, coat and warm through in sauce. Finally, season with a little extra chili powder, salt, crushed fenugreek leaves and the secret ingredient, honey.
Enjoy served on a bed of rice with flat breads.
NOTES AND TIPS:
*Garlic and ginger paste is a mix of 3:1 garlic to ginger. If you do not want to make your own, you can buy a premixed jar at Indian / Asian speciality stores. Fresh is the best!
*Removing the excess marinading liquid gets rid of the “chicken” smell from the meat and leaves a clean fresh taste to the dish.
*Traditionally the chicken is cooked in a tandoor so if you have one at home, or even a pizza oven use that, but obviously the most accessible piece of equipment is the BBQ.
*The chicken does not have to be cooked 100% as it is going to be finished in the butter gravy.