Restaurant Style Chicken Butter Masala...!

Butter Chicken Masala or Murgh Makhani is an authentic dish from Punjab. It's among the most popular chicken delicacies in India and it is very famous all over the world even. It is a tomato and cashew nuts based gravy garnished with cream and butter. It goes marvelous when served with tandoori roti or butter naan or simply with plain chapati . I make this dish at home often as it's my daughter's most favourite  chicken preparation. Honestly speaking, it gives me an extreme pleasure when I cook something to fulfil my little one's desire.
 I was thinking of sharing the recipe in my blog since past few months. But somehow it wouldn't work as most of the time I prepared this in hurry and couldn't manage to click photos. Anyway, this time, I didn't forget to take the images while cooking this dish and here goes the detail step by step recipe of Restaurant Style Chicken Butter Masala:

Ingredients:

• Chicken: 250-300gm boneless breast cut in small to medium piece.

• Marinate:

• Hung Curd: 1-2 tsp.
• Salt:1 tsp.
• Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder:1/2 tsp.
• Tandoori Masala Powder:1 tsp.
• Tandoori Color:1/4 tsp (optional,I didn't use)

• Other Ingredients:

• Onion: 2 tbsp  Paste
• Garlic:11/2 Paste
• Butter: 2 tbs.
• Tomato: 4/5 (blanched,peeled and pureed)
• Tomato Ketchup: 1 tbsp.
• Green Chilli: 1/2 or 1( I didn't use)
• Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder:1/2 tsp.
• Turmeric Powder:1/2 tsp.
• Cumin Powder:1/2 tsp.
• Salt:1 tsp or as per taste.
• Sugar:1/2 tsp.
• Milk:1/2 Cup
• Water :1/4 Cup
• Cream: 2 tbsp
• Cashewnuts:10 (soaked in warm milk or water for 30 min to 1 hour)
• Dried Fenugreek Leaves: 1 tsp (crushed)
• Coriander Leaves: For garnishing.

Process:

• At first wash and pat the chicken pieces dry. Now take a big bowl . Add all the spices (mentioned in the marinate heading) and mixed thoroughly with the chicken pieces. Cover and keep it aside for 2-3 hrs.
• Meanwhile make the cashew nut paste and the tomato puree. To save time and fuss you may use the store bought tomato puree also.
• Now take a pan and add little butter. Add the chicken pieces and shallow fry them carefully on medium flame. Don't overcook or over fry them. It will make the chicken very stiff and hard. Fry it in such a way slowly and carefully so that the chicken pieces are cooked ,fried yet remain soft.
• Now heat a deep bottomed vessel and add the butter. Immediately add the garlic paste.Then add the onion paste. (Here I want to mention that in many places butter chicken is cooked without onion , but I always used to add onion and believe me it enhances the taste even. So it's upto you,whether you want to add onion or not. Either process is equally good and authentic .) When the color of the onion becomes transparent add the sliced green chili( I didn't use because my daughter can't eat hot) , cumin powder, kashmiri red chilli powder and salt.Add 1 tbsp of water and mix well.
• Now add the tomato puree and cook very well until the oil starts to release from sides.
• Lower the flame and add the cashew nut paste.Stir continuously.
• Then add the tomato ketchup,sugar and 1/4 cup of water.
• When it starts to boil add the fried chicken pieces. Give a very good stir and cover the vessel. Increase the flame slightly and cook it for just 2-3 minutes. As the chicken pieces are fried previously,it won't take much time to make the chicken pieces very soft,
• Uncover and lower the flame again, add the milk, cook for another 1/2 minutes,
• Add the cream and mix very well.
• Sprinkle garam masala powder and add the crushed fenugreek leaves.
• Now your butter chicken or murgh makhani is ready to serve.
• Serve it with Naan or Tandoori Roti,garnished with fresh coriander leaves and a good swirl of fresh cream.
• Authentic Murgh Makhani is rich in calorie but taste is absolutely heavenly.

                                     Enjoy Your Food...!!!!