“A royal dish if ever there was one, butter chicken is known for its luxuriously rich texture and, for me, the thicker and creamier the better,” says food blogger Anisa Karolia.
“It’s a flavourful, aromatic curry with a butter and tomato base – wonderfully creamy and tastes out of this world.”
Serves: 2
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 500g chicken breast, cut into chunks
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1tablespoon butter chicken masala or tandoori masala
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
- 1 fresh tomato, chopped
- 250g tomato passata
- 100-150ml water
- 125ml milk
- 150ml single or double cream
- 30g butter
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- fresh coriander, chopped, to garnish
Method
Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a low heat, add the bay leaves and onion, and cook for five minutes until golden brown. Add the chicken, ginger paste and garlic paste, and cook for 25 minutes, until only a little moisture is left from the chicken.
Add the chilli powder, chilli flakes, ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, butter chicken masala or tandoori masala, salt, pepper and dried fenugreek, and stir well. Add the fresh tomato and passata, cook for one minute, then pour in the water, milk and cream, and stir well. Simmer for eight to 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
Add the butter, letting it melt through the sauce, then add the lemon juice, and serve sprinkled with chopped coriander.
The Ramadan Cookbook by Anisa Karolia is published by Ebury Press. Photography by Ellis Parrinder.
What’s your favourite curry to make? Why not let us know how the recipe works for you in the comments section below?
Also read: Jamie Oliver’s Fragrant Pumpkin Curry
– With PA