Chicken makhni (butter chicken)

"I am inspired to try the butter chicken
recipe. It was so tender and creamy,
definitely my favourite of the lot.”
—Lee Bee Hian

Serves 4 Prep Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes

250g boneless chicken thighs

tikka marinade
250ml thick yogurt
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste (combining equal parts chopped garlic and pounded ginger)
1 tsp red chilli powder
salt (to taste)
3 drops orange-red colouring (available at Phoon Huat)
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp garam masala powder (available at Mustafa Centre)

makhni gravy
30ml olive oil
400ml canned tomato purée
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp kasuri methi (fenugreek) leaves (available at Mustafa Centre)
2 tbsp cashew paste (made by grinding
raw cashew nuts with water)
1 tbsp honey
¾ tsp garam masala powder
salt (to taste)
2 tbsp cooking cream

• Mix all the ingredients for the tikka marinade together. Coat chicken pieces with the mixture and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Pre-heat the oven to 250˚C. Arrange the marinated chicken pieces on skewers and grill for 10 minutes. (If the chicken is going to be served without the gravy, cook for an additional 3 minutes.)
• For the makhni gravy, heat olive oil in a pan over low heat. Add in the tomato purée and cook for 4 minutes.
• Add the chilli and ginger powder, kasuri methi leaves, cashew paste, honey and garam masala. Bring to a boil.
• Add in cooked chicken tikka pieces and simmer for five minutes.
• Add salt to taste. Remove from heat and garnish with swirls of cooking cream before serving.

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