Butter chicken

Butter chicken 

Ingredients:

Chicken  boneless       - 1 lbs  (Preferably thighs) cut into small strips
Onion                          - 1/2 of an onion cut into big cubes
Plain Yogurt                -  11/2 tbsp
Cashews                      -  5 (soaked in hot water)
Tomato paste               - 3 oz(85g)
Ginger garlic paste      - 3 tsp
Unsalted butter             - 4 tbsp
Chilli powder              - 1 1/2 tsp(preferably  Kashmiri Chilli)
Turmeric  powder        -1 tsp
Garam masala              -1tsp
Dry fenugreek leaves  -2 tbsp crushed
Chicken stock             - 1/2 cup
Fresh cream                -1/2 cup
Oil                               -for shallow frying
Salt as required

Method:

Cut chicken  into 1-inch thin strips . Marinate chicken with enough salt, 1/2tsp turmeric power ,1 tsp of chilli powder and yogurt for minimum 2-3 hours or overnight if time permits .The longer it marinates, the more tender your chicken will be.

 Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat.Shallow fry  the chicken pieces until lightly browned on all sides,about 6-7 minutes..Remove it from heat and keep it aside .

Meanwhile microwave cubed onion pieces for 4-5 minutes. Remove from microwave and let it cool for 5 minutes. Grind together microwaved onion, 1 1/2 tbsp. kasturi methi(dry fenugreek leaves ) in a  mixer jar or food processor and keep aside  .Grind the cashews soaked to fine paste in  the same mixer .
Melt  4 tbsp. butter in a large heavy bottomed pan over medium heat.Add ginger garlic paste and saute it for 1 minute. To this add the ground onion paste and saute for a while . Then  add  1/2 tsp turmeric powder,1 tsp garam masala powder, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, salt and saute again..To this add the tomato paste and saute..pour the chicken broth and cook for 2 -3 min.Now add the  chicken we prepared earlier..To this add the cashew nut paste prepared. Allow it to cook for 8-10 minutes with the lid closed until the chicken is cooked thoroughly and gravy reduced by half .Now reduce the heat to low-medium and pour the fresh cream.Finally garnish with remaining dry fenugreek leaves  .Serve hot with roti, rice, naan .....