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Last active July 19, 2020 12:53
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Butter chicken.md

Butter chicken

Ingredients

Purée

  • Onions
    • 60g ghee butter
    • 3-4 large brown onions
    • 2 teaspoons kosher/cooking salt
  • Spice mix
    • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
    • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • 2 teaspoons paprika
    • 1 teaspoon garam masala
    • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
    • 1.5 tablespoons deghi mirch
    • 60g roasted cashews, crushed
  • Purée final additions
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
    • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
    • 410g Leggos tomato purée
    • 140g Leggos tomato paste concentrate (or 170g generic tomato paste concentrate)

Chicken

  • 25g ghee butter
  • 1.8kg diced chicken thigh
  • 2 teaspoons Vegeta Chicken Stock Powder
  • 1 tablespoon Tandoori spice

Final additions

  • 2 tablespoons jaggery
  • 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  • 300g thickened cream
  • 250g natural greek yoghurt

Rice

  • 2 cups uncooked basmati rice
  • 5 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons kosher/cooking salt

Method

Purée

  • Slice both the root and top of the onions off, cut it in half, and peel off the first layer along with the onion skin, discarding it.

  • Slice the onion into thinnest possible semi-circles, ideally enough to be transparent

    • Thinner slices means greatest surface area, allowing the onions to release their water quicker

  • Warm up the pan with the ghee butter to a medium heat

  • Break up the onions by hand while adding them to the pan and spread them out into an even layer covering the bottom of the pan with a spatula

  • Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of salt evenly over the top of the onions, and then give them a nice rough stir.

    • This not only distributes the salt, but it also breaks up the onion slices – you want the individual bits to separate, exposing the maximum surface area to the hot pan and butter
    • The salt not only seasons the onions, but also helps draw the water out of their tissues more quickly.

  • Continue stirring the onions and spreading them into an even layer

  • The onions will start to go gluggy and yellow, keep trying to remove the water for another 10 minutes or so

  • Once the onion is properly caramelised, add the tomato purée, tomato paste, garlic, ginger and mix together

  • Mix in spices and ground cashews, then take the mix and blend/purée it a food processor to a thick paste like consistency.

  • Once puréed, move into a pot ready to accept the cooked chicken

Chicken

  • Dice chicken thigh

  • Warm up the pan with the ghee butter to a medium heat

  • Add the chicken to the pan and immediately add tandoori spice and chicken stock, mix thoroughly

  • Cook until you can slice the biggest few pieces and see no pink inside

    • Ensure you slightly undercook rather than overcook, as the chicken will continue cooking in the pot with the purée

  • Move the chicken along with juices into the pot with the purée, adding cream, greek yoghurt, and jaggery/brown sugar

  • Serve with rice

Stir rice regularly to ensure it doesn't clump or burn, and to dry it up As for the bright orange color and the sweetness, they come from a spice called "deghi mirch" and full fat cream respectively... restaurants never use actual butter....The deghi mirch is basically a kind of a pseudo paprika powder (and is DIFFERENT from the normal chilli powder) that endows the dish with a bright red color and added flavor.....the amount you need to use would depend on the potency of the brand you buy and the amount of heat you ormally enjoy....and do remember that if you use deghi mirch, then adjust the amount of chilli powder that you use in the normal spice mix accordingly. Once you notice that the curry has taken a dark red color and is almost ready, add the cream... again the amount will depend on your taste....the cream will reduce the spiciness of the curry and turn in into the orange that you are looking for. If you want a little variation, you can add a 3 to 4 pinches of dried "kasuri methi" leaves along with the cream, right at the end, before a final simmer. The aroma and flavor is unbelievable..

http://www.cookingninja.com/75-Balti-Butter-Chicken.html
http://www.cookingandme.com/2015/12/butter-chicken-masala-recipe-indian.html
http://ask.metafilter.com/107928/How-to-cook-restaurantstyle-butter-chicken
http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2008/03/24/cutting-and-browning-onions-for-proper-flavor-in-indian-food/

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