Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

• 800 gboneless chicken thighs(cut into 5 cm pieces)
• 150 gfull-fat yoghurt
• 2 tspKashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tspground cumin
• 2 tspgaram masala
• 1 tbspfresh ginger paste
• 1 tbspgarlic paste
• 60 gunsalted butter
• 1 piecewhite onion(roughly chopped)
• 400 gcrushed tomatoes
• 50 gcashew nuts(soaked 20 minutes in hot water)
• 100 mlheavy cream
• 1 tspsugar
• salt(to taste)
• basmati rice or naan(to serve)

Method

1. 1

   Mix yoghurt, 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli, cumin, half the garam masala, ginger paste, garlic paste, and 1 tsp salt into a marinade. Coat chicken thoroughly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

2. 2

   Grill or pan-char marinated chicken over high heat in batches until lightly charred outside (not fully cooked). Set aside.

3. 3

   Melt half the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion until golden, add remaining ginger, garlic, and chilli powder; cook 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and soaked cashews; simmer 20 minutes. Blend until completely smooth.

4. 4

   Return smooth sauce to the pan, add chicken, remaining garam masala, butter, cream, sugar, and salt; simmer 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Serve with rice or naan.