Butter Chicken Recipe

Recipe for butter chicken masala. Recipe adapted from Moti Mahal Cookbook – On the Butter Chicken Trail by Monish Gujral

The original recipe comes in two parts. First is to make the Tandoori chicken and then to make a gravy and finally incorporating the chicken in the gravy. Since at home, we do not have a tandoor, I have adapted the recipe to make it home style. Here is how to do Butter Chicken, Moti Mahal style.

I have used boneless chicken for this recipe. If you are using a tandoor, then you can use chicken thighs on the bone. First, we will be marinating the chicken. Take a small mixie jar and add in the ginger, garlic and the yogurt. Grind to a fine paste. Set aside.

Take a bowl and add in the chicken pieces. Add in the red chilli powder, salt and the lime juice. Mix well. Add in the yogurt mixture.

Add in all the ingredients listed under “marinade” (Scroll to the bottom of the page). Mix well and allow the chicken to marinate for 3 hours.

Take a pan and add in a tablespoon of butter. Add in the marinated chicken along with the liquid to the pan. Cook the chicken for about 10-12 minutes.

Cook until the chicken is dry and starting to char here and there. Remove from heat and set aside.

Now we will deglaze the pan. Remove the chicken to a plate and add in half a cup of water to the pan. Bring to a boil. The bits and pieces sticking in the pan is where all the flavour is. Once the water is boiling and all the masalas sticking to the pan is released, remove from the pan and reserve this liquid. We will use later.

For the Butter Chicken Gravy Prep Work: We will need tomato puree. Boil the tomatoes in water till the skin starts to fall apart. About 3-4 minutes. Remove the skin from the tomatoes and cut into half. Remove the seeds. Check this post to know how to deseed the tomatoes. If you are in a hurry, use canned tomatoes or ready made tomato puree.

Puree the tomatoes in a mixie without adding any water. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add in the onions. Saute for a couple of minutes. Add in the tomato puree and the salt.

Add in the red chilli powder, garam masala powder and cumin powder. Cook for about 10-12 minutes till the tomatoes are cooked and streaks of oil starts to appear.

Add in the reserved liquid (deglazed liquid) and the cooked chicken. Simmer the gravy along with the chicken on a low flame for 10 minutes. If the gravy is too thick, add a little water.

Add in the fresh cream and the butter. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes more.

Remove from heat and serve with chopped green chillies, coriander leaves and drizzle a little cream on top.

Butter chicken is ready!!

For the marinade

• 500 grams chicken (I have used boneless chicken)
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 7 - 8 cloves garlic
• 1/2 inch piece ginger
• Juice of a small lime
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon kala namak (black salt)
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek powder)
• 1 tablespoon butter

For the gravy

• 2 tablespoon peanut oil
• 5 tomatoes (deseeded and pureed) (canned tomatoes also works fine)
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/3 cup cream
• 2 tablespoon butter

For garnish

• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 1 tablespoon coriander leaves
• 1 tablespoon cream

1. Take a small mixie jar and add in the ginger, garlic and the yogurt. Grind to a fine paste. Set aside.
2. Take a bowl and add in the chicken pieces. Add in the red chilli powder, salt and the lime juice. Mix well. Add in the yogurt mixture. Add in all the ingredients listed under “marinade”. Mix well and allow the chicken to marinate for 3 hours.
3. Take a pan and add in a tablespoon of butter. Add in the marinated chicken along with the liquid to the pan. Cook the chicken for about 10-12 minutes. Cook until the chicken is dry and starting to char here and there. Remove from heat and set aside. Now we will deglaze the pan. Remove the chicken to a plate and add in half a cup of water to the pan. Bring to a boil. The bits and pieces sticking in the pan is where all the flavour is. Once the water is boiling and all the masalas sticking to the pan is released, remove from the pan and reserve this liquid. We will use later.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add in the onions. Saute for a couple of minutes. Add in the tomato puree and the salt.
5. Add in the red chilli powder, garam masala powder and cumin powder. Cook for about 10-12 minutes till the tomatoes are cooked and streaks of oil starts to appear.
6. Add in the reserved liquid (deglazed liquid) and the cooked chicken. Simmer the gravy along with the chicken on a low flame for 10 minutes. If the gravy is too thick, add a little water.
7. Add in the fresh cream and the butter. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes more.
8. Remove from heat and serve with chopped green chillies, coriander leaves and drizzle a little cream on top.
9. Butter chicken is ready!!

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 3 hours
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Category: Curry
• Cuisine: North Indian

For the marinade

• 500 grams chicken (I have used boneless chicken)
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 7 - 8 cloves garlic
• 1/2 inch piece ginger
• Juice of a small lime
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon kala namak (black salt)
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek powder)
• 1 tablespoon butter

For the gravy

• 2 tablespoon peanut oil
• 5 tomatoes (deseeded and pureed) (canned tomatoes also works fine)
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/3 cup cream
• 2 tablespoon butter

For garnish

• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 1 tablespoon coriander leaves
• 1 tablespoon cream

1. Take a small mixie jar and add in the ginger, garlic and the yogurt. Grind to a fine paste. Set aside.
2. Take a bowl and add in the chicken pieces. Add in the red chilli powder, salt and the lime juice. Mix well. Add in the yogurt mixture. Add in all the ingredients listed under “marinade”. Mix well and allow the chicken to marinate for 3 hours.
3. Take a pan and add in a tablespoon of butter. Add in the marinated chicken along with the liquid to the pan. Cook the chicken for about 10-12 minutes. Cook until the chicken is dry and starting to char here and there. Remove from heat and set aside. Now we will deglaze the pan. Remove the chicken to a plate and add in half a cup of water to the pan. Bring to a boil. The bits and pieces sticking in the pan is where all the flavour is. Once the water is boiling and all the masalas sticking to the pan is released, remove from the pan and reserve this liquid. We will use later.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add in the onions. Saute for a couple of minutes. Add in the tomato puree and the salt.
5. Add in the red chilli powder, garam masala powder and cumin powder. Cook for about 10-12 minutes till the tomatoes are cooked and streaks of oil starts to appear.
6. Add in the reserved liquid (deglazed liquid) and the cooked chicken. Simmer the gravy along with the chicken on a low flame for 10 minutes. If the gravy is too thick, add a little water.
7. Add in the fresh cream and the butter. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes more.
8. Remove from heat and serve with chopped green chillies, coriander leaves and drizzle a little cream on top.
9. Butter chicken is ready!!

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 3 hours
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Category: Curry
• Cuisine: North Indian

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/butter-chicken-recipe/

Recipe for Karnataka style Mutton saaru. Perfect accompaniment for ragi mudde, rice or idli and dosa. Recipe with step by step pictures.

This is a very easy recipe for Mutton saaru. A simple masala is added to the mutton and slow cooked for a long time. Karnataka Byadagi chillies gives this mutton saaru a very nice colour and flavour. If you cannot get hold of Byadagi chillies, you may use kashmiri red chillies.

Here is how to do Mutton Saaru – Karnataka Style First we will be making a masala for the curry. Take a pan and add in the byadagi chillies, regular dried red chillies (gundu or reshampatti variety) and the coriander seeds. Dry roast the ingredients till fragrant. Set aside on a plate to cool. In the same pan, add in a teaspoon of oil. Add in cloves and cinnamon. Be generous with the cloves. I have added around 6 cloves. Add in the onion, garlic and ginger. Saute for a few minutes till the onions are soft.

Add in a handful of coriander leaves and saute for a few minutes. Set aside to cool.

Grind these ingredients to a fine paste. Add half a cup of water while grinding and make sure the paste is ground fine.

Now we will make the curry. Heat oil in a pressure pan and add in the curry leaves and the mutton. Saute for a minute.

Add in the turmeric powder and the tomatoes.

Add in the ground paste. Wash the mixie with a cup of water and add it back to the pan.

Add in a handful of green chillies. If you want a spicy curry, slit some chillies. When you add the chillies as whole, the curry wont be spicy. The flavour of the chillies alone will be imparted into the curry. Adjust the chillies according to taste. As mutton has a lot of fat, the spice is required to balance out the richness of the gravy. I like my mutton curry to be very spicy. Its totally upto you on how many green chillies you add. Add in the rock salt. Rock salt is preferred for this curry.

Add in a cup of water. Add some more water as necessary for the mutton to cook. Cover the cooker with its lid and allow it to cook on the lowest flame possible for half an hour. The slow cooking enables developing the flavour of the curry. Ignore the number of whistles. Go with the timing.

Let the curry simmer for 30 minutes. Make sure there is enough water so the curry does not scorch at the bottom of the pan. After 30 minutes, allow the pressure from the cooker to settle on its own.

Add some coconut milk and bring the curry back to a boil for just a couple of minutes.

Fantastic Karnataka style mutton saaru is ready! Serve it with ragi mudde or rice .

For the Masala

• 4 byadagi chillies
• 4 guntur chillies
• 1.5 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil
• 6 cloves
• 1/2 inch piece cinnamon
• 1 onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup )
• 7 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 6 - 7 sprigs coriander leaves

Other Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 500 grams mutton with bone
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 10 green chillies (whole)
• 1.5 teaspoon rock salt
• 1/2 cup coconut milk

1. Take a pan and add in the byadagi chillies, regular dried red chillies (gundu or reshampatti variety) and the coriander seeds. Dry roast the ingredients till fragrant. Set aside on a plate to cool. In the same pan, add in a teaspoon of oil. Add in the onion, garlic and ginger. Saute for a few minutes till the onions are soft. Add in a handful of coriander leaves and saute for a few minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Grind these ingredients to a fine paste. Add half a cup of water while grinding and make sure the paste is ground fine.
3. Heat oil in a pressure pan and add in the curry leaves and the mutton. Saute for a minute.
4. Add in the turmeric powder and the tomatoes.
5. Add in the ground paste. Wash the mixie with a cup of water and add it back to the pan.
6. Add in a handful of green chillies. If you want a spicy curry, slit some chillies.
7. Add in the rock salt.
8. Add in a cup of water. Add some more water as necessary for the mutton to cook. Cover the cooker with its lid and allow it to cook on the lowest flame possible for half an hour. The slow cooking enables developing the flavour of the curry. Ignore the number of whistles. Go with the timing.
9. Let the curry simmer for 30 minutes. Make sure there is enough water so the curry does not scorch at the bottom of the pan. After 30 minutes, allow the pressure from the cooker to settle on its own.
10. Add some coconut milk and bring the curry back to a boil for just a couple of minutes.
11. Fantastic Karnataka style mutton saaru is ready! Serve it with ragi mudde or rice.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Category: Curry
• Cuisine: Karnataka