Butter chicken (murgh makhani)

Like every bong knows how to cook their fish i believe every Punjabi knows how to cook their chicken.Butter chicken is one of such delicious dishes that comes out of a Punjabi kitchen.The combination of butter and chicken is a perfect marriage of flavors.This creamy,buttery butter chicken lingers onto your palate even after you have licked the last spot out of the bowl.If you love chicken this is a must try dish.

Ingredients Serves-2 people
For the marination

• 100 grams of  yogurt
• 250 grams of boneless chicken
• 1 tbsp of ginger and green chilly paste
• 1 tbsp of kashmiri red chilly powder
• 1 tbsp of coriander powder
• 1 1/2 tsp of cumin powder
• Pinch of cinnamon powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp of butter (optional)

For the gravy

• Shallow fried chicken pieces
• 2 medium sized tomatoes roughly chopped
• 1 onion roughly chopped
• an inch of ginger cut into slivers
• 1 green chilly cut into slits and seeds removed
• 3-4 cardamom pods
• 3-4 cloves
• 1 piece of cinnamon
• 2-3 heap table spoons of fresh cream
• 4 tbsp of butter
• 1 tbsp of oil
• 1/4th tsp of sugar
• salt to taste

Method

1. Marinate the chicken with the above said ingredients and keep it into the fridge for at least an hour.
   
2. After an hour take it out of the fridge and thread them into the wooden or metal skewer.Attach at least 4 cubes into a single skewer.(if you choose a wooden skewer over the metal ones don't forget to soak them in water for at-least half an hour before you use them.As they might burn if used directly)
   
3. Add 1-2 tbsp of oil on a non-stick tawa and place the chicken skewer on it.Rotate the skewer once a single side gets browned.
   
4. To make the gravy add 2 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of oil so that the butter does not burn.
   
5. Once the butter melts add in the cloves,cardamom and cinnamon.Stir till it releases it's aroma.
   
   
   
6. Add in the ginger slivers and green chilly slits.Cook for sometime.
   
   
   
7. Add in the onions.Cook till it becomes translucent.
   
8. Drop in the tomato pieces.Cook till the tomato pieces gets soft.Grind everything in a mixer once cooled.
   
   
9. Heat the same kadhai again.Add in the rest of the butter.
   
10. Once the butter melts add in the onion and tomato puree(add water if needed).Add in the red chilly powder,salt.Cook for a while.
    
11. Add fresh cream and mix.
    
12. Drop in the cooked chicken pieces.
    
13. Cook for another minute or so.And your yummy restaurant style butter chicken is ready to be served(you can even add 1 tsp of kasuri methi crushed between your palms at the end to enhance the flavors).Serve it with your naan or just plain roti and Eat it up! :)