Food Blogs
GINGER, CHILE, BUTTER CHICKEN RECIPE
Butter chicken, or murgh makhani, is the dish I always order in Indian restaurants, as it’s a favorite on UK menus. I had an amazing version at Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi, where it originated, and this is my take on it. Start marinating the meat the night before to allow the flavors to develop.
![butterchicken741](https://hungryforever.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/butterchicken741-720x540.jpg)
Servings |
MetricUS Imperial
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Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- Olive oil or ghee
- 1 small Onion peeled and finely diced
- Sea Salt
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
- 1- inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp garam masala
- tsp ½ground turmeric
- Pinch of chili powder or to taste (optional)
- 2 tbsp. = Tomato puree
- 2 tbsp. butter
- leaves Small bunch of fresh cilantro roughly chopped, to garnish
FOR THE MARINADE
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
- 1½ inch of fresh ginger peeled and grated
- 1 red chile seeded and finely chopped
- Juice of ¼ lemon
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ingredients
FOR THE MARINADE
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Instructions
- Put the garlic, ginger, chile, and lemon juice from the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Toss the chicken in the mixture, then cover and set aside.
- Continue preparing the marinade. Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry pan for about 1 minute until aromatic and the coriander seeds are popping. Grind to a powder, then mix with the turmeric, yogurt, and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
- Pour the yogurt mixture over the chicken. Mix well, cover, and leave to marinate for at least 2 hours (or, ideally, overnight if you have time).
- When ready to cook the chicken, heat a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat and add a little olive oil or ghee. When the pan is hot, sauté the onion with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until lightly golden before adding the ginger and cooking for an additional minute.
- Add the ground coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and chili powder (if using), and stir into the onions over medium heat until aromatic. Add the tomato purée and stir for 30 seconds. Add the butter and allow to melt before stirring it through.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and wipe off any excess. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, turning now and again, until cooked through. Lower the heat, add the remaining marinade to the pan, and cook gently for 5 minutes until piping hot (be careful not to let the sauce boil as this will cause it to split). Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro leaves.