Butter Chicken

 

We wanted to make Butter Chicken and Cathy decided to modify the original New York Times recipe. Cathy substituted Ghee for Butter and used Floyd Cordoz Green Tikka Masala. He was a great New York Indian Chef who unfortunately died too young of Covid. Cathy's modifications definitely improved this classic dish. 

Butter Chicken (modified by Cathy)

New York Times

 

Butter chicken is the General Tso’s of Indian food, a great, ever-evolving, cross-continental dish found in Delhi, London, New York, Perth and most points in between. In its purest form, it is yogurt-and-spice-marinated chicken dressed in a velvety red bath comprising butter, onions, ginger and tomatoes scented with garam masala, cumin and turmeric, with a cinnamon tang. This version was adapted from one a young kitchen hand at the restaurant Attica, in Melbourne, Australia, made for staff meal, and that the photographer Per-Anders Jorgensen included in "Eating With the Chefs," his collection of photographs of top restaurants around the world. It is wildly luxurious. Serve with basmati rice and mango chutney, with papadums or naan if you can find them, with extra rice if you cannot.

 

Ingredients

 

1-1/2   cups full-fat Greek yogurt

2         tablespoons lemon juice

½        tablespoons ground turmeric

2         tablespoons garam masala

3         tablespoons Floyd Cardoza Green Tikka Masala

3         pounds chicken thighs, on the bone

¼        pound unsalted butter

4         teaspoons Ghee

2         medium-size yellow onions, peeled and diced

4         cloves garlic, peeled and minced

3         tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely diced

1         tablespoon cumin seeds

1         cinnamon stick

2         medium-size tomatoes, diced

2         red chiles, like Anaheim, or 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced  Kosher salt to taste

⅔        cup chicken stock, low-sodium or homemade

1         cup cream

3         tablespoons ground almonds, or finely chopped almonds

½        bunch cilantro leaves, stems removed.

 

Preparation

1   Whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala and cumin in a large bowl. Put the chicken in, and coat with the marinade. Cover, and refrigerate (for up to a day).

2   In a large pan over medium heat, melt the butter in the oil until it starts to foam. Add the onions, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and cumin seeds, and cook until the onions start to brown.

3.  Add the cinnamon stick, tomatoes, chiles and salt, and cook until the chiles are soft, about 10 minutes.

4   Add the chicken and marinade to the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, then add the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for approximately 30 minutes.

5.  Stir in the cream and tomato paste, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

6   Add the almonds, cook for an additional 5 minutes and remove from the heat. Garnish with the cilantro leaves.