OK,
that's more like it! I hear the combined calls of a nation raised on
this perennial favourite. Strange that I'd never heard of it before
coming to North America. I'm assuming it's also called Murgh Makhani,
often seen on UK menus but usually ignored in lieu of the chicken tikka
masala or lamb vindaloo. It's a beautiful dish, full of complex notes
from the tomato, creamy and luscious from butter and cream and a little
spicy heat to round things off.
Chicken
500g boneless chicken breast
1.5tbsp grated fresh ginger
1.5tbsp minced fresh garlic
100g yogurt
1 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp red chili powder
1 tbsp garam masala
Gravy
250g well flavoured tomatoes
10g fresh ginger
10g garlic
2 green chilies
3 cloves
2 green cardamoms
10g coriander
50ml heavy cream
2 tsp butter
100ml cashew nut paste
1 tbsp kasoori methi, (fenugreek leaf)
salt and pepper
100ml tomato puree
10g deghi mirch, (paprika)
Notes
Butter
chicken is so called because of the texture, which should resemble
butter and not the use of butter in the recipe (although it is often included).
It's
important to add any fenugreek a recipe calls for at the end. If added
too soon it will create a bitterness that will spoil the finished dish.
Slashing
meat and adding a mix of vinegar and salt for 15 minutes before
marinating will help tenderise and assure the marinade will take better.
It needs to be patted dry before the meat is placed in the marinade.
The
cashew nut paste in this dish is integral to an authentic flavour, but
is often left out in restaurant curries or even cookbook recipes. It
adds a depth and creaminess. You may need to make your own by soaking
the required quantity of cashew nuts in water for up to 24 hours and
then pureeing to a paste. This makes it very creamy, (the same technique
is often used for raw cheesecake as a cream cheese substitute).
Make
slashes on the chicken breast and rub with the vinegar and sprinkle
well with salt, rubbing this into the flesh also. Let stand for 15
minutes and then rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
Mix the chicken marinade ingredients together and add the chicken. Allow to marinade for around 6 hours, or longer
Chop the tomatoes and add to a pan over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic, green chilies, cloves and cardamoms and stir well.
Add the tomato puree and cook over gentle heat until the tomatoes are completely collapsed and cooked, (about 50 minutes).
Puree the mixture in a blender until very smooth.
Heat
the butter in a separate pan until foamy and then add the coriander
powder and deghi mirch, (paprika). Stir well. Transfer the pureed tomato
sauce to this and stir. Let cook for about 4 - 5 minutes.
Add
the cashew nut paste and cream. Simmer and stir constantly until the
cashew nut paste starts to sink. Taste and adjust seasoning if
necessary.
Grill or bake the chicken until cooked through, chop into small pieces and add to the sauce.
Finally, add the kasoori methi, (fenugreek), stir well and serve.