Indian Butter Chicken – Murgh makhani

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 800 g skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 250 g yogurt
• 1 piece(s) fresh ginger, about thumb-sized
• 4 cloves garlic, finely diced
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ chili pepper(s), green
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp caraway powder
• some saffron threads
• 2 pieces of butter
• 1 piece(s) ginger, grated
• ½ chili pepper(s), green
• ½ cinnamon stick(s)
• 6 cardamom seeds
• 4 carnations
• 1 onion(s), red
• 4 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 400 ml sweet cream
• 1 tsp honey
• ½ tsp fenugreek leaves (Fenu Greek leaves), dried
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 bunch coriander, fresh
• ½ lemon(s)

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

Peel a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger and grind it into a paste in a spice grinder along with the peeled garlic cloves and half a chili pepper. Place it in a bowl with the yogurt, add 1 tablespoon of flour (chickpea flour if you have it on hand, otherwise plain flour) and mix everything well. Now mix in the coriander, cinnamon, chili powder, caraway powder, and a few strands of saffron. Add the chicken thighs, which have been cut into approximately 4 cm pieces, to this marinade. Cover everything well and marinate in the refrigerator, ideally overnight. If you’re short on time, marinate for only half an hour. Then thread the pieces of meat onto wooden skewers (two per skewer) and place them on the rack of a roasting tray. Grill in the oven for about 25 minutes, turning the skewers a few times. The meat should be cooked through on the inside and a little crispy on the outside. Now it’s time to prepare the sauce. Put the butter in a saucepan and melt it over low heat. Now add the ginger, onion, and chili and sauté gently. Add the cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon stick, then stir in the tomato puree, chili, and coriander to allow the flavors to develop while frying. Now pour in the cream, add the honey, the Greek fenu leaves, and the fresh coriander leaves, a pinch of salt, and simmer gently over low heat until reduced. If you want a little more sauce, you can add more water. Finish with lemon juice and stir the grilled chicken pieces into the sauce. Let everything simmer for a while (the longer the better). I served it with rice, Indian chapatis (wraps), and a green salad.