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

PREPARATION:

• Mix the chicken, lime juice, salt and red chilli powder in a bowl and allow to 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 and serve with naans and Kaali Daal.
• For an authentic and traditional cooked-over-the-coals flavour: Heat a briquette of coal till red hot and when the dish is done, put the coal in the pan and cover immediately. Remove just before serving.