CHICKEN MAKHANI

Chicken in spicy and creamy gravy

Preparation Time : 25-30 minutes

Cooking Time : 40-45 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken 800 grams
Lemon juice 1 tablespoon
Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
FOR MARINADE
Ginger 2 tablespoons
Garlic 2 tablespoons
Yogurt 1 cup
Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Lemon juice 2 tablespoons
Garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard oil 2 tablespoons
Butter 2 tablespoons
FOR GRAVY
Ginger 1 tablespoon
Garlic 1 tablespoon
Green chillies, chopped 2
Butter 3 tablespoons
Green cardamom 2-3
Cloves 4-5
Black peppercorns 7-8
Cinnamon 1 inch stick
Tomato puree 400 grams
Red chilli powder (deghi mirch) 1 tablespoon
Garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Honey 2 tablespoons
Kasoori methi 1/2 teaspoon
Fresh cream 1 cup

Method

Skin and clean chicken. Make incisions with a sharp knife on breast and leg pieces. Peel, wash and grind ginger and garlic to a paste separately for marination and for gravy. Remove stems, wash and chop green chillies.

Apply a mixture of teaspoon of red chilli powder, tablespoon of lemon juice and salt to the chicken and leave aside for half an hour.

Hang yogurt in a muslin cloth for fifteen to twenty minutes to remove extra water. Add teaspoon of red chilli powder, salt, two tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, rest of lemon juice, half teaspoon of garam masala powder and mustard oil.

Apply this marinade to the chicken pieces and refrigerate for three to four hours.Put the chicken onto a skewer and cook in a moderately hot tandoor or a preheated oven (200C) for ten to twelve minutes or until almost done. Baste it with butter and cook for another two minutes. Remove and keep aside.

Heat butter in a pan. Add green cardamoms, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon. Sauté for two minutes, add rest of ginger-garlic paste and chopped green chillies. Cook for two minutes.

Add tomato puree, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, salt and one cup of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes. Add sugar or honey and powdered kasoori methi.

Add cooked tandoori chicken pieces. Simmer for five minutes and then add fresh cream.

Serve hot with naan or parantha.