Butter Chicken
Butter chicken - murgh makhani - marinates chicken thighs in yogurt, garam masala, and cumin, grills or roasts them tandoori-style to build a smoky surface char, then simmers the pieces in a sauce of long-cooked tomato puree enriched with butter and heavy cream. The yogurt marinade tenderizes the meat by breaking down surface proteins, and the high-heat roasting adds a depth of flavor that plain poaching cannot achieve. The tomato base must cook down until its raw acidity mellows into a rounded sweetness before the dairy goes in. Butter and cream transform the spice blend's sharp edges into something velvety and rich, producing the mild, creamy character that sets this curry apart from hotter Indian preparations.
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Instructions
- 1
Marinate chicken in ginger-garlic paste and chili for 30 minutes.
- 2
Melt butter and sear chicken until golden.
- 3
In the same pan, sauté onion and spices; add tomato puree and simmer.
- 4
Add chicken to sauce and simmer 15 minutes.
- 5
Stir in cream and butter to finish.
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