“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.”
Butter chicken
Ingredients:
(Serves 2-3)
4-5tbsp oil
2 bay leaves
1 onion, finely chopped
500g chicken breast, cut into chunks
1tsp ginger paste
1tsp garlic paste
1tsp chilli powder
1tsp chilli flakes
1tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1tsp ground coriander
1tsp ground cumin
½tsp ground turmeric
1tbsp butter chicken masala or tandoori masala
½tsp salt
½tsp ground black pepper
1tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
1 fresh tomato, chopped
250g tomato passata
100-150ml water
125ml milk
150ml single or double cream
30g butter
2tbsp lemon juice
Fresh coriander, chopped, to garnish
Method:
1. 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.
2. Add the chilli powder, chilli flakes, Kashmiri chilli powder, 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.
3. 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 on March 9th. Photography by Ellis Parrinder.
