Friday, June 17, 2011

Foody Friday: Quick and Easy Butter Chicken

Butter chicken is one of those delicious dishes that is so quick and easy to make, yet good enough to serve for a special occasion. It's a great emergency dish. I got this recipe from my mom when just before I got married and have used it many times. It is meant to be served with rice, roti or naan bread, but when I make it just for us at home, my kids love eating it with spaghetti! Talk about East meets West!

Ingredients:
Chicken breasts cut into cubes
1 onion chopped
1 teaspoon salt (1/2 if using salted butter)
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon koljana (fine coriander)
1 teaspoon jeera (fine cumin)
1 or 2 teaspoons chilli powder (depending how hot you like it)
1 small tin or 1 sachet of tamatoe paste (I think tis is 4 tablespoons or 50g)
250 ml fresh cream (you can also substitute this with orley whip, I usually use half orley whip and half buttermilk, but cream is best)
Butter

Method:
Braise onion in a good amount of butter, I usually use about 3 or 4 tablespoons of butter, it just depends how creamy you want it. Salted butter is best, but since you are adding salt unsalted works too. When the onions are transparent, add the chicken cubes, garlic and ginger and all the spices and braise for about 5 minutes or till chicken is nicely coated. Add tomatoe paste and a little water and cook on medium heat till well blended (about 10 mins). Add half the cream and leave to simmer on low heat. And you're done! The other half of the cream you add just before serving when you heat up the food. Serve with rice, roti, or naan bread. For roti I usually just buy the plain parathas at Pick 'n Pay. It's in a yellow packet and you find it in the fridge aisle, usually by the Today's pastries. When serving guests it's nice to garnish with some freshly chopped coriander.
ENJOY!


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