Chicken Curries

[polly]

vivin, I'd be interested in hearing more from your father about the original incarnation of butter chicken.

What I have always known as butter chicken turns out to be chicken tikka masala, but doing some research I have found other, simpler recipes that sound like what he made originally.

One of them was just roast chicken with melted butter and black pepper over the top.

Sounds almost too simple...

[vivin]

Polly

You are on the dot. That is essentially what the original butter chicken was. They started to add other ingredients to it. Even then, the butter chicken (with the tomato based sauce) that is such a hit in his restaurant has a lot less ingredients than the chicken tikka masala variants here in the US.

The secret is in using fresh made tomato sauce (reduced over slow heat), marinated chicken roasted in a tandoor, fresh ingredients and final preparation that takes place when you order. Use of ketchup, canned tomato sauce, flour instead of cream, other spices just takes away from the dish, in my opinion. Overnight marination is key. Only use chicken with bone in. Does not work well with boneless. Just does not stand up to all the cooking. The other big (AND I MEAN HUGE) difference in taste is the flavor of the chicken itself. Maybe Suvir can shed some light on what type of chicken (free range etc) he prefers in his cooking. Off the shelf grocery strore chicken won't get you far.

vivin.

[Suvir Saran]

I have seen the best results that have pleased the most critical food critics and foodies around NYC to come from my using Empire Kosher Chicken. Almost as good results from the Free Range chickens from Union Square farmers market. Great results with Cornish Hens from D'Artagnan (sp?) or even other store brought cornish hens. In fact I often use cornish hens for smaller parties where I am making roasted chicken (Tandoori Chicken).

Butter Chicken as it is made in Bukhara in New Delhi and some other restaurants that copied Vivin's families recipe and have made great success with this dish, is made in the following way:

Makhani Chicken (Butter Chicken)

1 Kg. Tandoori Chicken ( Two small birds, cut into 8 pieces each)

1/2 cup butter

3 tablespoons finely minced garlic, puree preferred

3 tablespoons finely minced ginger, puree preferred

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 kg. ripe vine grown tomatoes, pureed

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2/3 cup cream

Garnish:

1 tablespoon julienned ginger root

1. Melt a 1/2 cup butter in a pot and fry the ginger and garlic puree in it for a couple of minutes or until the raw smell of the garlic is gone. Add the paprika and cayenne and a teaspoon of water. This keeps the paprika and cayenne from burning.

2. Add the pureed tomatoes and salt and cook till the butter glazes the tomatoes, around 20 minutes. Maybe longer if the tomatoes have higher water content. Add 2 cups of water and simmer for another 5-8 minutes till the water has turned into a thick sauce.

3. Add the tandoori chicken pieces and bring to a simmer and cook covered on the lowest flame for 8 minutes. Stir in the cream and bring to a simmer and serve garnished with juliennes of ginger.

Note: My recipe comes from what the restaurant (Bukhara) made daily. I personally would cook with almost half the amount of butter. But that goes for most of my cooking.

The Chicken Roast recipe from Oliva is great. I do a few things differently but for the most part follow a similar recipe. As Vivin pointed out, cook the chicken till almost done. As it will cook more in the sauce. I have made this with equal success with boneless chicken breasts. They are marinated and baked in the oven and then thrown into the sauce and cooked for 5 minutes in the sauce.

[Suvir Saran]

Malai Kabab (Used in Chicken Tikka Masala)

2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons garlic paste

3 tablespoons ginger paste

1 teaspoon white pepper powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1/4 cup mild cheddar or even baby gouda cheese, grated finely

1 habanero pepper, very finely diced

1/4 cup very tender cilantro stems, chopped finely

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon mace

1/2 cup hung yogurt (traditionally made with cream, a tablespoon of cornflour is added to this mix in that case)

1 teaspoon oil

1. Mix the ginger and garlic paste with the white pepper powder and salt. Rub this onto the chicken pieces and leave to marinade for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.

2. Beat the egg and add the cheese, habanero, cilantro stems, nutmeg, mace, yogurt and oil. Mix well and add the chicken into this marinade and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or even overnight.

3. String the chicken onto skewers and grill on red hot charcoal for 5 minutes or in a preheated oven at 300?F for 6 minutes, or until almost done.

4. Remove from oven and let the chicken dry some before you use for the butter chicken recipe.

Note: You can cook the kebabs fully and serve as an appetizer. Simply toss the cooked chicken in some lemon juice and a pinch of garam masala.

I have had people who are vegetarin eat these and think they are biting into Tofu or cheese. They are a great kebab to make for just about any party. People love them.

[Suvir Saran]

TANDOORI ROAST CORNISH GAME HENS

Serves 4

For the best flavor, the hens should be marinated overnight, but in a pinch, marinate 4 hours. Line the roasting pan with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.

2 Cornish game hens

1 tablespoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Juice of 1 lemon

MARINADE

1 small onion

4 garlic cloves

2 inches peeled, fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground, toasted cumin

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

Pinch ground cloves

Pinch ground cinnamon

Pinch garam masala

1/3 cup yogurt

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon canola oil

2 tablespoons canola oil

Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Pull and cut the skin off the hens. Make several deep slashes in the breasts and thighs.

2. Mix the paprika, salt, turmeric and lemon juice together in a bowl. Rub the mixture over the hens and then massage the birds with the spices for about 1 minute to ensure that the spices are rubbed in nicely. Set aside, covered for half an hour.

3. Meanwhile, put all the marinade ingredients in a blender and process on low speed until smooth.

4. Toss the hens in the marinade until coated. Place in a zip loc bag and marinade in the refrigerator overnight or for up to 2 days.

5. Bring the hens to room temperature by placing outside the refrigerator for an hour before ready to cook.

6. Preheat the oven to 500?F. Add the 2 tablespoons oil to the bowl with the hens and stir with a rubber spatula to coat. Remove hens from marinade with whatever marinade sticks to them. Put them on a rack in a roasting pan and roast 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes. Cut in half and serve with lemon wedges.

Note: This is my version of Olivas recipe. I use this for making butter chicken for those friends that like their butter chicken made with bone-in chicken pieces. This recipe is also great served as a main dish.

[vivin]

Suvir,

Thanx for the recipes. These are great. Your chicken makhani sounds very close to my dad's current recipe.

vivin

[spicegirl]

Suveer,

Where do you get the best Chicken Makhuni?

[Simon Majumdar]

My absolute fave chicken recipe is taken from a book of anglo indian recipes ( I can never remember the name of the book ) and is for Chicken korma. The recipe is the version prepared for Mountbatten and was his favourite dish. I have no idea how authentic the dish is, but it is rich and delicious and the single favourite dish when I prepare an indian meal.

Ingredients ( to serve 4 )

four boned and skinless chicken breasts in 1in Chunk

two green chillies chopped

1 fat clove garlic chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric

Fry the chilli garlic and turmeric in a little oil until they lose their rawness ( but not until the colour ) add the chicken and cook thoroughly. Place in a heat proof dish in the oven on a low heat to keep warm.

SAUCE

1 cup of ground almonds

1 pinch sugar

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 small carton single cream

1 pinch salt

1/2 pint boiling water

mix all of these in a jug and leave to one side for 5 mins until the oils in the almonds begin to thicken the sauce.

Finally return the chicken to a pan on a low heat, pour over the sauce and cook until the sauce is thickened.

Stir in a big bunch of chopped fresh corriander and squeeze over the dish the juice of two limes.

Fantastic. Give it a try

S

[Suvir Saran]

Simon that recipes sounds great.

It seems to me to be more a Badaami Chicken than a Makhani.

Badaami Chicken (Chicken in Almond Sauce) is one of the glorious recipes we have from the Mughal period.

Your recipe is wonderful in that it seems easy but actually quite authentic.

Can you try and get us the name of the book? It seems a good find.

[ShawtyCat]

Did Simon ever find the name of that book?? I'd like to add it to my "Christmas Wish List".

[Simon Majumdar]

The Book is called

Curries & Bugles: A Memoir and Cookbook of the British Raj

by Jennifer Brennan

I am not sure if it is still in print ( or ever was in the US ) but it has some excellent stories and recipes in it

Hope this helps

S

[Suvir Saran]

The Book is called

Curries & Bugles: A Memoir and Cookbook of the British Raj

by Jennifer Brennan

I found my copy, last year, at Kitchen Arts and Letters.

[ShawtyCat]

Thanks for posting the title Simon. I found it at Barnes and Noble.com. Weird how one copy is $20 while another is priced at $24.95

Here is the link in case anyone else is interested:

Curries and Bugles: A Memoir and Cookbook of the British Raj by Jennifer Brennan (B&N)

And of course you know that Amazon just has to have it for less :

Curries & Bugles: A Memoir & Cookbook of the British Raj by Jennifer Brennan (Amazon)