Butter Chicken

Now that you know how to make Tandoori chicken (recipe at http://kitchenanugraha.blogspot.com/2017/07/tandoori-chicken.html), Butter chicken is really easy to do. When I first came to Adelaide I used to work as a kitchen hand in an Indian restaurant.  Manjeet, the chef there, taught me how to make this dish and over the years I have made it many times.

If you make a big batch of tandoori chicken for a party, you can keep the left overs and make it into butter chicken the next day.

Shred your tandoori chicken and place in a bowl. (2 kg drumsticks or Maryland pieces)  I personally prefer Maryland pieces as they are succulent and do not dry out like the drumstick or breast pieces.  I also like to reserve the juices from the baked tandoori chicken and add it when making the gravy.

Ingredients:

2 Onions - finely chopped

1 large tomato - finely chopped

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 -3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

2 teaspoons chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 teaspoons coriander powder

1 inch piece of cinnamon - ground

4-5 cloves - ground

A handful of cashew nuts and chopped coriander leaves for garnish.

In a wok, heat oil, place 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds. When it sizzles, add the onions and saute it.  When it becomes translucent, add the tomato and saute for a few more minutes till the tomato turns pulpy.

Add ginger garlic paste and saute well.

Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and saute well.
The oil will turn red and start to separate from the onion and the tomato.  

At this stage add the shredded tandoori chicken, mix well.  

Add 1 cup of water.  Add the reserved juices from the baked tandoori chicken if you have reserved it.  This step is optional but adds an extra dimension to the flavour.

Add freshly ground cloves & cinnamon

Add salt to taste.

Let the gravy cook and come together.

Add 1/2 a cup of cream to finish off and garnish with coriander leaves and roasted cashew nuts.  You can adjust the amount of cream to your taste – more cream will reduce the heat from the chilli.

Serve hot with chappaties, rotis or rice.