Butter chicken

A very easy recipe, but there is quite a lot that needs to be done. For a quick butter chicken recipe see: Butter chicken (cheat).

Ingredients
Marinade:
4 chicken breasts, cut into pieces
10 ml (2 t) garlic, crushed
10 ml (2 t) ginger, freshly grated
15 ml (1 T) chicken masala spice (Note 1)
15 ml (1 T) Maizena
Oil, for frying

Sauce:
1 medium onion, diced
500 g tomatoes, peeled and crushed
125 ml (1/2 c) water
5 ml (1 t) garlic, crushed
30-60 ml (2-4 T) sugar, to taste (Note 2)
15 ml (1 T) chicken masala spice (Note 2)
1 ml (1/4 t) chilli powder (Note 2)
15 ml (1 T) white vinegar
10 ml (2 t) lemon juice
70 g (5 T) butter
1 small can (165 ml) coconut milk
salt and pepper, to taste

Method
Marinade the chicken pieces in the garlic, ginger, chicken masala spice and Maizena for 15 minutes.  Fry chicken in small amount of oil until browned.  Keep aside.

Then, fry the onion until soft and translucent and add tomatoes.  Fry for a minute, and then add water, garlic, sugar, chicken masala spice, chilli powder, vinegar, and lemon juice.  Simmer for 30 minutes.

Use a stick blender to blend the mixture until smooth.  Put through a sieve to get an even smoother sauce.  Put the sauce back in the pot and add butter, coconut milk and cooked chicken.  Add salt and pepper as needed. Simmer for 10 minutes.  Serve with rice, naan or poppadoms.

Serves 4.

Recipe notes
Note 1: SpiceMecca ‘s chicken masala spice is very tasty, and works well.  A butter chicken spice mix can also be used.
Note 2: The sugar, chicken masala spice and chilli powder can be adjusted to taste.