Butter Chicken - North Indian Style

Step 1: Marinate the Chicken

In a bowl, combine the chicken chunks with garlic paste, ginger paste, red chilli powder, and salt. Mix well to ensure the chicken is evenly coated. Set aside to marinate for 15-20 minutes.

Step 2: Cook the Chicken

Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Place the marinated chicken pieces in the pan and pan-fry them until they are cooked through. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and keep it aside.

Step 3: Prepare the Gravy Base

In the same pan, add a little oil and a spoonful of butter. Add the roughly chopped onions and sauté until they become soft and translucent. Then, add the chopped tomatoes and cashew nuts, and stir for a minute.

Step 4: Simmer the Gravy Base

To the pan, add water, garlic paste, salt, malt vinegar, sugar, garam masala powder, and red chilli powder. Stir everything together and let the mixture simmer for 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes are completely soft and mushy.

Step 5: Blend and Strain the Gravy

Once the gravy base is cooked, turn off the heat. Transfer the mixture to a separate bowl and use a hand blender to blend it into a fine, smooth purée. Strain this purée back into the cooking pan using a sieve, pressing the pulp to extract all the liquid. This step is key to a velvety texture.

Step 6: Finish the Butter Chicken

Gently reheat the strained gravy. Add the remaining butter and fresh cream, stirring until well combined. Add the cooked chicken pieces to the gravy. Finally, sprinkle the crushed Kasuri Methi on top. Mix gently and allow it to simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Step 7: Garnish and Serve

Transfer the Butter Chicken to a serving bowl. Garnish with a swirl of fresh cream and a sprinkle of Kasuri Methi. Serve hot with naan, roti, or steamed rice.

• Straining the gravy is crucial to achieve the classic velvety smooth 'Makhani' texture.

• Using the same pan to cook the gravy after frying the chicken adds more flavor to the dish.

• Crush the Kasuri Methi between your palms before adding to release its aroma.

• Replace chicken with paneer for a vegetarian version (Paneer Butter Masala).