Butter Chicken – The Bombay Chef Style

Step 1: Prepare Chicken Marinade

In a bowl, add chicken chunks, 1 teaspoon garlic paste, 1 teaspoon ginger paste, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well to coat the chicken evenly.

Step 2: Marinate Chicken

Let the chicken marinate for 15-20 minutes.

Step 3: Pan-Fry Chicken

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken pieces and pan-fry until almost done and lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken to a separate bowl.

Step 4: Sauté Onions

In the same pan, add the roughly chopped medium onion. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Sauté the onions until they are lightly sweated and translucent, about 3-5 minutes.

Step 5: Add Tomatoes and Cashews

Add 4 roughly chopped medium tomatoes and 1/4 cup cashew nuts to the pan. Mix well.

Step 6: Add Liquids and Spices

Pour in 1/2 cup of water. Add 1 teaspoon garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon malt vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, and 1 teaspoon red chili powder. Mix all ingredients thoroughly.

Step 7: Simmer Gravy Base

Let the mixture simmer for at least 15-20 minutes until the tomatoes and cashews become very soft and mushy.

Step 8: Blend Gravy Base

Turn off the flame and transfer the cooked mixture to another container. Use a hand blender to blend it into a fine, smooth puree.

Step 9: Strain Gravy

Strain the blended puree back into the same pan using a fine-mesh sieve. Press down firmly with a spoon or ladle to extract as much liquid as possible, leaving behind only seeds and skin.

Step 10: Reheat and Finish Gravy

Reheat the strained gravy over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of fresh cream. Stir until the butter melts and the cream is incorporated.

Step 11: Combine Chicken and Gravy

Add the previously pan-fried chicken pieces to the simmering gravy.

Step 12: Add Kasuri Methi and Simmer

Crush 1 teaspoon of Kasuri Methi between your palms and add it to the butter chicken. Let the curry simmer for another 5-7 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Step 13: Serve

Ladle the hot butter chicken into a serving bowl. Garnish with a swirl of fresh cream and a sprinkle of crushed Kasuri Methi.

• While straining the gravy, press down firmly with a spoon or ladle to extract as much liquid as possible and minimize wastage.