Butter Chicken - Authentic Indian Style

Step 1: Marinate the Chicken

Add 2 chicken breasts (approximately 500g, cut into thin slices) to a bowl. Add 1 tsp ginger paste, 0.5 tbsp garlic paste, 0.25 cup thick yogurt, 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder, 0.5 tsp cumin powder, 0.5 tbsp coriander powder, 0.25 tsp turmeric powder, 0.5 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp amchur powder, 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, 0.5 tbsp oil, and salt to taste. Mix well until all chicken pieces are coated. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Step 2: Prepare the Sauce Base - Sauté Chilies and Onions

In a heavy-bottomed heated pot, add 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp oil. Once the butter is melted, toss in 3 whole Kashmiri chilies and sauté briefly. Add 1 large finely sliced onion and sauté until it turns translucent.

Step 3: Add Ginger-Garlic Paste to Onions

Once onions are translucent, add 0.5 tbsp ginger paste and 1 tbsp garlic paste. Continue sautéing until ginger and garlic lose their raw flavor and onions turn a light golden color.

Step 4: Add Powdered Spices to Onions

Add 2 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder, 2 tsp cumin powder, 2 tsp coriander powder, 0.5 tsp turmeric powder, and 1 tsp garam masala. Sauté for a little while to warm up the spices.

Step 5: Add Tomatoes, Cashews, and Simmer

Add 6-7 coarsely chopped red tomatoes, 30 cashews (approximately 50g), 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp salt (or to taste). Pour in 0.25 cup of water. Cover the pot and allow it to cook until the tomatoes turn really soft and all flavors blend together. Occasionally, take off the lid and give it a stir. This should take about 12 minutes.

Step 6: Cook the Marinated Chicken

To a heated skillet on medium heat, add 0.5 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp oil. Once the butter melts and blends with the oil, add the marinated chicken pieces in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until cooked through and lightly grilled. Remove cooked chicken and set aside.

Step 7: Puree the Cooled Sauce Base

Once the sauce mix has cooled, transfer it to a blender jar. Puree until smooth. Add about 1 cup of water if needed to achieve a fine consistency.

Step 8: Prepare Final Sauce - Sauté Green Chili and Kashmiri Chili Powder

In the same pot (or a clean one), add 1 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp oil. Once butter is melted, toss in 1 green chili (chopped into 2 pieces) and sauté briefly. Add 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder and mix quickly to warm up the spices and bring out the flavor.

Step 9: Strain Pureed Sauce into the Pan

Lower the heat. Pass the pureed sauce through a sieve into the pan, pressing with a spoon to extract all the smooth liquid. Discard the remaining solids in the sieve. Swirl about 1 cup of water in the blender jar to get any remaining sauce and add it through the sieve as well.

Step 10: Cut Cooked Chicken into Smaller Pieces

Cut the cooked tandoori chicken into smaller, bite-sized pieces.

Step 11: Add Chicken to the Simmering Sauce

Once the strained sauce comes to a simmer, add the cut chicken pieces. Stir to combine.

Step 12: Add Kasuri Methi and Garam Masala

Add 1 tsp kasuri methi (crushed between palms) and 1 tsp garam masala. Stir to mix.

Step 13: Adjust Seasonings

Taste the butter chicken and add salt and sugar to balance the flavors as needed.

Step 14: Add Butter and Fresh Cream

Toss in 1 tbsp of butter and drizzle in 0.25 cup of fresh cream. Stir gently until butter melts and cream is incorporated.

Step 15: Garnish and Serve

Just before taking it off the heat, add some finely chopped cilantro (coriander). Give it a final mix. Serve the butter chicken in a traditional bowl, drizzled with more fresh cream and garnished with finely chopped cilantro. Enjoy with naan or rice.

• When buying tomatoes, make sure that they're nice and red and they're a little bit on the softer side.

• An alternative would be to use canned tomatoes, but definitely fresh tomatoes are the best.

• You could either cook the chicken for about 10 minutes in the pan, or if you wanted, you could put it in your oven or even cook it on a barbecue.

• If you feel that your sauce is smooth enough without passing it through a sieve, you could always skip this step.

• Use chicken thighs instead of breast

• Use canned tomatoes instead of fresh