Michelin Star Butter Chicken

Serves 4
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Directions

  1. 1Cut boneless, skinless chicken thighs into larger cubes.
  2. 2Toast bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom, coriander seed, cumin seed, black peppercorns, and cloves until fragrant.
  3. 3Prepare the marinade by combining yogurt, mashed garlic, grated ginger, lemon juice, mustard oil, a green chili, and salt in a bowl.
  4. 4Add turmeric powder, Kashmir red chili powder, and ground fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) to the marinade.
  5. 5Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and ensure they are well coated, then season with salt to taste.
  6. 6Marinade the chicken for 12 hours.
  7. 7Preheat the Typhur smart oven on the roast function.
  8. 8Arrange the marinated chicken on a roasting rack or mesh oven tray, ensuring pieces are spaced out for air circulation.
  9. 9Roast the chicken in the hot oven to mimic a tandoor.
  10. 10In a deep pot, turn on to medium heat and add peeled plum tomatoes with a pinch of salt and sugar, slow cooking them.
  11. 11In a separate pan, toast raw unsalted cashews on high heat until they start to color and release oils.
  12. 12Add the toasted cashews to the simmering tomatoes, along with a little bit of kasuri methi (fenugreek leaves).
  13. 13Once cooked, pour the tomato-cashew mixture into a strainer and double strain to achieve a smooth texture.
  14. 14For the rice, add ghee to an open-face pan on medium heat.
  15. 15Once the ghee is hot, add cardamom pods, a bay leaf, and cumin seeds and let them get a light toast until fragrant.
  16. 16Add washed basmati sella rice to the pan and toss it in the ghee, ensuring every grain is coated.
  17. 17Add water and a hefty pinch of salt to the rice and bring it to a light bubble.
  18. 18Once the rice starts bubbling on the sides, drop the heat to low and cover with a lid, cooking for 15-20 minutes according to package instructions.
  19. 19After cooking, kill the heat and let the rice sit for a couple of minutes.
  20. 20In a hot pan on medium heat, melt cubed butter.
  21. 21Bloom red chili powder and a green chili in the melted butter.
  22. 22Add the strained tomato-cashew mixture to the pan and let it absorb the butter for a couple of minutes.
  23. 23Add the roasted chicken tikka to the sauce.
  24. 24Stir in heavy cream, which will change the color and add body to the sauce.
  25. 25Add more butter, Kashmir red chili powder, and garam masala.
  26. 26For the final touch, add a couple of dollops of heavy cream and a tiny bit of kasuri methi (fenugreek leaves) for presentation.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 0.5 cup yogurt
  • 5 cloves garlic, mashed
  • 1 inch ginger, grated
  • 0.5 lemon lemon, juiced
  • 1 tbsp mustard oil
  • 1 green chili, for vibes
  • to taste salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 10 cloves cardamom
  • 2 tbsp coriander seed
  • 2 tbsp cumin seed
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp cloves
  • 2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp red chili powder
  • 1 tbsp fenugreek leaves
  • 20 oz peeled plum tomatoes
  • 16 oz raw unsalted cashews, roasted
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp fenugreek leaves
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 2 cups basmati sella rice, washed
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1 green chili
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 pinch fenugreek leaves

Equipment

mortar and pestlespoondeep potroasting rackTyphur smart ovenoven thermostatmesh oven traypanstrainer

Tips

  • Use larger cubes of chicken thighs to get a nice char without drying out the chicken.
  • Do not burn the garam masala spices when toasting; toast only until fragrant.
  • Grate ginger for a smoother consistency in the marinade.
  • Do not add too much lemon or vinegar to the chicken, as it can make it stringy.
  • Mustard oil is a key ingredient in the marinade.
  • Season the chicken directly for the perfect amount of salt.
  • Marinade the chicken for 12 hours to mimic the tandoor flavor.
  • Use a really hot oven with good circulating air to mimic a tandoor.
  • Slow cook peeled plum tomatoes with roasted cashews for the base sauce.
  • Double strain the tomato-cashew mixture for an ultimate smooth texture.
  • Toast cashews on high heat for a couple of minutes to release oils and remove rawness.
  • When making rice, coat every grain of rice with ghee before adding water.
  • Cook rice according to package instructions (usually 15-20 minutes), then let it sit off heat for a few minutes for fluffiness.
  • Bloom red chili powder in butter at the beginning of the sauce assembly for color.
  • Add heavy cream at the end to change the color and add body to the sauce.
  • Finish with more butter, red chili powder, garam masala, and a dollop of heavy cream for presentation.