Butter Chicken

Ingredients

For the chicken and marinade :

• 1/4cups Full-fat plain yogurt
• 1 Tbsp Ginger garlic paste
• 1 Tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tsp Ground coriander seed
• 1 tsp Kashmiri Lal Mirch
• 1 tsp Cumin
• To taste Salt

For The Sauce :

• 8 to 10 Almonds
• 8 to 10 Cashews
• 2 Tbsp Butter,divided
• 1 Tbsp Ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 (15-ounce) Diced Tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp Dried Corianders Seed
• 1 1/2 tsp Ground Garam Masala
• 1/2 tsp Ground Kashmiri Lal Mirch
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 cup Water
• 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 tbsp Kasuri Methi

Preparation

1. Bring the chicken and the rest of the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Using your hands, massage the marinade into the chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
2. Soak cashews and almonds in water for at least an hour to (or up to overnight) before preparing the rest of the recipe.
3. Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle a teaspoon of oil to the pan. Working in batches, remove chicken from the marinade and grill them on the pan for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until the chicken is cooked through (clear juice runs out of it when you cut into it). Do not crowd the pan.
4. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium sized Dutch oven or a skillet on medium low heat. As soon as the butter melts, add the ginger garlic paste followed by sugar. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato and cook for 8 to 10 minutes on medium high heat, until all the extra liquid is cooked off. The sauce should be a loose, paste-like consistency. Add coriander, garam masala, Kashmiri Lal Mirch, and salt. Stir and cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
5. Transfer the paste to a blender or the bowl of a food processor. Add the soaked cashews and almonds. Blend into a smooth paste.
6. Return the paste to the cooking pan over medium heat. Add the water to the paste and stir to make a smooth sauce. As the sauce begins to boil, add the grilled chicken and heavy cream. Stir well. Cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat and uncover the pan. Stir in the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter and the kasuri methi. Cover again, and let the dish rest for 8 to 10 minutes so the flavor of kasuri methi can marry into the butter chicken.
8. Serve the butter with a side of steamed basmati rice, roti, or naan. Leftovers will keep refrigerated, covered, for five days. You can freeze this dish in an airtight covered container or a zip-top bag for a month. Thaw and reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat to retain the texture.