Tandoori chicken or Murgh Makhni is one of the most popular Indian dishes, which is recognised and loved all over the world. The velvety cashewnut and tomato gravy topped with butter and cream along with chargrilled chicken make it a lip-smacking and delicious dish. It can usually be paired with roomali roti or naan. Everyone has a different take on this dish and you will find different versions of it. History The history of butter chicken goes back to the ancient days where it belonged to north east frontier cuisine. It was introduced to us by Kundan Lal Gujral from the restaurant Moti Mahal in Delhi. ● ● ● ●
Preparation Time: 30-35 min Cook Time: 1hr Serves: 4 Taste: Mild
Ingredients: ● Basic Marination ● Chicken without skin (boneless) - 400gms ● Salt -to taste ● Ginger Garlic Paste - 30gms ● Lemon - 20ml ● Degi Chilli Powder - 40gms ● Turmeric -10gms For Marination: ● Hung curd - 150gms ● Mustard Oil - 20ml ● Degi Chilli Powder - 20gms ● Garam Masala Powder -20gms ● Salt -to taste For Makhni Gravy: ● Tomato - 350gms ● Cashewnut - 150gms ● Charmagaz - 30gms ● Salted butter -100gms ● Hing - 4gms ● Bayleaf - 2no ● Cinnamon- 1no ● Cloves- 2gms ● Black peppercorn - 2gms ● Salt - 6gms ● Amul cream -80gms
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Kasturi methi -4gms Degi Mirch - 75gms Honey -40gms Khoya dhap -100gms Ginger -10gms Garlic -10gms
Method of Making 1. Marinate the boneless chicken without skin overnight with basic marination and keep it in the refrigerator. 2. Now take the chicken out of the refrigerator and marinate it with a second marination and rest it for 4 hours. 3. Now cook the tomatoes on a slow flame and then puree them. Now pass through the strainer to separate the seeds and skin. 4. Cook the cashewnut, charmagaz and khoya dhap in butter until golden brown. Now make a fine paste in the blender. 5. Blend the tomatoes and cashew-mawa paste and let the gravy simmer on slow flame. 6. Add the masala potli, degi chili powder, Amul cream, and butter to the gravy. Cook the gravy for 3 to 4 hours and ensure that it is mixed timely. 7. Skew the marinated chicken on a skewer and cook in tandoor/oven on the stovetop for 15 - 20 minutes. 8. Now take a pan and add butter to it. Now pour the velvety makhani gravy into the pan and add degi chili powder, salt and sugar. 9. Cook until the gravy leaves the pan. Add the chargrilled chicken pieces to the gravy and let it simmer. 10. Add the garam masala and Kasuri methi and mix well. 11. Your tandoori butter chicken is ready. Garnish with cream and butter. 12. Serve with hot roomali roti or naan. P.S: Preferably, try using country-style chicken for the Tandoori Butter Chicken, and you can make the Makhni gravy a day prior if you feel the recipe is elaborate.