Murgh Makhani – Butter Chicken Curry
OVERVIEW
METHOD
Grilling
Prep Time
12 Hours 0 Mins
Cooking Time
1 Hour 30 Mins
Serves
6
Suggested Wood
Beech
Ability
Intermediate
INGREDIENTS
- 800g Free Range Chicken Thighs, boned, skinned and halved
- 1 Lemon (juice and zest)
- 6cm Fresh Ginger, grated
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Ground Coriander
- 5 Cloves of Garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp Chilli Powder
- 1 ½ tsp Salt
- 100ml plain Greek Yoghurt
- 40g Unsalted Cashew Nuts
- 1 Onion, finely chopped
- Vegetable Oil
- 800g/2 tins Whole Peeled Plum Tomatoes
- 4 Cardamom Pods
- 2 Whole Cloves
- 1 Tbsp Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Fenugreek Powder
- 2 Fresh Green Chillies, halved length ways
- 50g Unsalted Butter
- 2cm Ginger, finely chopped (for the sauce)
- 50ml Double Cream
- Fresh Coriander to garnish
INGREDIENTS
- 800g Free Range Chicken Thighs, boned, skinned and halved
- 1 Lemon (juice and zest)
- 6cm Fresh Ginger, grated
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Ground Coriander
- 5 Cloves of Garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp Chilli Powder
- 1 ½ tsp Salt
- 100ml plain Greek Yoghurt
- 40g Unsalted Cashew Nuts
- 1 Onion, finely chopped
- Vegetable Oil
- 800g/2 tins Whole Peeled Plum Tomatoes
- 4 Cardamom Pods
- 2 Whole Cloves
- 1 Tbsp Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Fenugreek Powder
- 2 Fresh Green Chillies, halved length ways
- 50g Unsalted Butter
- 2cm Ginger, finely chopped (for the sauce)
- 50ml Double Cream
- Fresh Coriander to garnish
METHOD
The Day Before
Step 1
Mix the lemon juice and zest, grated ginger, crushed garlic, chilli powder and salt together in a large bowl and add the chicken. Use your hands to coat well. Set aside in fridge for 1 hour.
Step 2
Mix the yoghurt with the ground coriander and cumin and pour over the chicken. Mix well and leave overnight in the fridge, covered.
Step 3
Soak the cashews overnight in 70ml water. When you’re ready to make your sauce, drain the liquid then grind the cashews to a paste in a pestle and mortar (or use a blender), adding a splash of milk to loosen if needed. Set aside.
On the Day
Step 1
To make your sauce, place a large pan on a medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened but not coloured.
Step 2
Add the tinned tomatoes to the pan with a good pinch of salt, cumin, cardamom pods and cloves. Cook for 15 minutes, breaking them up with the back of a wooden spoon, until soft and cooked right down. Remove from the heat and blend the mixture with a stick blender and finally press through a course sieve set over a clean bowl to make a smooth puree.
Step 3
Return the puree to the pan and slowly heat. Add the chilli powder and fenugreek.
Step 4
Fry the halved green chillies on a medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of the butter for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and aromatic, then pour into the tomato sauce. Slowly incorporate the rest of the butter, stirring. Finally, add your cashew nut paste and set sauce aside.
Step 5
Set your BBQ up for grilling.
Step 6
Thread your chicken onto skewers and cook on the barbecue for 15-18 minutes, turning after 10 minutes or so. The chicken should be a little blackened in parts but still slightly pink in the middle.
Step 7
Heat your sauce to a gentle simmer and add chopped ginger and cream. Carefully remove the chicken from the skewers and place into the sauce, simmering for a further 5-10 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through.