Butter Chicken

Making butter chicken at home is surprisingly easy. If you want the flavours of the spices to really combine with the chicken, marinate the chicken for longer.

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 500 grams boneless skinless chicken
• 2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. garam masala
• 2 tsp. red chilli powder (or to taste)
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 1 medium onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 7 cardamom pods
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp. thandhoori masala
• ½ cup tomato puree
• 3 tbsp. tomato ketchup
• 1 tsp. sugar
• ¾ cup coconut milk

Instructions:

1. Cut the chicken into bite sized cubes.
2. In a large bowl mix together the salt, cumin, coriander, garam masala, red chilli powder and yogurt.
3. Add the chicken to the bowl, mix well and keep covered to marinate while you prepare the other ingredients. If you have time leave it in the fridge to marinate longer.
4. Slice the onion thinly; squash the garlic using the back of a spoon and snip off the ends of the cardamom pods.
5. In a large pot heat up the oil along with the butter. We kept our heat at medium.
6. Add the sliced onions and cardamom pods, and cook until the onions begin to turn brown.
7. Add the squashed garlic and cook for half a minute, just until the garlic becomes softer.
8. Add the tandoori masala powder mix well and cook for a little bit just to get the spices heated up. Shouldn’t take longer than a minute.
9. Add the tomato puree, tomato ketchup, the marinated chicken and sugar. Mix well.
10. Add the coconut milk and mix well again.
11. Cover the pot, turn the heat to low and let the mixture gently simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
12. Before you switch off the heat, do a little taste test, and adjust salt and chilli if necessary. If the tomato puree in the curry is making it too sour, add a little bit more sugar.