“Butter chicken is often considered to be one of those dishes that takes ages to prepare and to cook, but this version will give you flavourful results in almost half the time with half the effort,” says Sanjay Aggarwal, author of Spice Kitchen.
“Just allow your chicken to marinate overnight so that the meat is more succulent and the flavours can develop.”
Ultimate (and speedy) butter chicken
Ingredients:
(Serves 4)
500g boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
2tbsp vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed oil
2tbsp ghee
1tbsp Tarka (see below)
1 onion, sliced
2tsp ginger-garlic paste (see below)
1tbsp garam masala (see below)
400g can plum tomatoes
½tsp harissa (see below)
1tsp salt
50ml double cream
1tsp sugar
For the marinade:
100g Greek-style yoghurt
2tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1tbsp garam masala
½tsp harissa
1tsp salt
To serve:
Naan
300g rice
1tbsp chopped fresh coriander, optional
For the tarka:
50g black mustard
seeds
50g cumin seeds
For the garam masala:
35g cumin
28g coriander
11g black peppercorns
6g ginger powder
3g cloves
8g cinnamon
4g star anise
2g nutmeg, grated
2g cardamom
For the harissa:
21g paprika
3g coriander
3g caraway
3g cumin
27g chilli powder
27g chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
5g garlic granules
10g salt
For the time-saving ginger-garlic paste:
125g fresh ginger
125g garlic cloves
½tsp salt
1tbsp vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed oil
Method:
1. For the tarka: This blend uses whole spices; simply mix the seeds together and store in a jar for when you need them.
2. For the garam masala: Put any whole spices into a coffee grinder or pestle and mortar. Grind. Then add in any powdered ingredients and mix by hand to combine. Label and store in a clean jar in a cool, dark place for up to six months.
3. For the harissa: Put any whole spices into your coffee grinder or pestle and mortar. Grind to your desired consistency. Then add in any powdered ingredients and your chilli flakes, garlic granules and salt. Mix by hand to combine. Label and store in a clean jar in a cool, dark place for up to six months.
4. For the time-saving ginger-garlic: Peel and roughly chop your ginger and garlic and add to your blender with the salt and oil. Blend until you have a smooth paste. Either scoop into a clean jar or bottle and store in the fridge or freeze in ice-cube trays and pop out a cube when you need to cook.
5. For the butter chicken: First make the marinade by combining all the ingredients in a large, non-metallic bowl. Add the chicken and give everything a good stir to combine. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight if you can, or for at least two hours to permeate the meat.
6. When you are ready to cook, heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chicken pieces with the marinade, and fry until browned, turning just once and resisting the urge to move them around the pan. They will need about three minutes on each side (you will finish cooking the chicken later in the sauce). Set aside.
7. Give the pan a quick wipe and put it back over the heat. Add the ghee and, when hot, add the tarka and allow the seeds to sizzle and pop for around 30 seconds, being careful not to burn. Next, add in your onion slices and stir to coat them in the spice-infused ghee. Cook gently for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Once the onions have started to sweat and become translucent, add in the ginger-garlic paste and cook for about a minute. When the raw smell has disappeared, add in the garam masala. Cook for a further 10 seconds, stirring to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan and burns.
8. Next, add the tomatoes, harissa and salt. Cook over a low-medium heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool a little, then, using a stick blender directly into the pan, carefully blend your sauce until it is completely smooth. If you’re finding the sauce is splattering around too much, transfer it into a deeper pan for this step. You can also stir in a little water if the mixture is too thick.
9. Add the cream, sugar and chicken to the pan and give everything a good stir. Simmer for a further 10 minutes to ensure the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve with fresh naan bread, rice and chopped coriander scattered over the top.
Spice Kitchen by Sanjay Aggarwal is published by Quadrille, priced £22. Photography by Dan Jones. Available now.
