BUTTER CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 kg boneless chicken skin removed
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to suit your taste)
• 1 cup fresh yoghurt (must not be sour)
• 2 tsps garam masala
• 2 tsps coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 8-10 peppercorns
• 6 cloves
• 1" stick of cinnamon
• Seeds from 3-4 pods of cardamom
• 2 bay leaves
• 8-10 almonds
• 2 onions chopped
• 2 tsps garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1/2 litre chicken stock
• 3 tbsps vegetable/canola/snflower cooking oil
• 3 tbsps butter
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves to garnish

METHOD

Mix the chicken, lime juice, salt and red chilli powder in a bowl and marinate for 1 hour. Roast the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves and almonds till they darken slightly and then grind into a coarse powder.
Mix the yoghurt, whole spice powder and all the other spices together and add them to the chicken. Allow to marinate for another hour.
Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions. Fry till golden brown and then add the ginger and garlic pastes. Fry for a minute.
Add only the chicken from the chicken-spice mix and fry till sealed (chicken will turn opaque). Now add the chicken stock and remaining part of the mix to the chicken. Cook till the chicken is done and the gravy is reduced to half its original volume. Melt the butter and pour it over the chicken. Garnish with coriander leaves.