Butter Chicken

Believe it or not, I didn't eat butter chicken at all growing up. I only learned about it when I moved to America because it was such a popular dish in most Indian & Pakistani restaurants. I have to say I wasn't fully accepting of it in the beginning because it just seemed like a marination step to me before the finale, like how you make the chicken curry for biryani. The person who changed my mind about butter chicken is a dear friend of mine I met in Japan. Right before we left Japan, she insisted that I try her butter chicken. In hindsight I am so glad because she absolutely changed my mind about butter chicken! After tasting her butter chicken, my husband even made butter chicken for the first time! This recipe below is tweaked from Urvashi Pitre's instant pot butter chicken, who inspired my friend Mara and converted me into a butter chicken fan!

Ingredients:

• 5 fresh plump tomatoes (cut into cubes)

• 2 tablespoon oil

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1 tablespoon minced ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili

• 1 teaspoon garam masala

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• Salt to taste

• 1 pound boneless chicken cut into cubes

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Recipe:

• Heat up oil in a heavy bottom pan and add tomatoes, ginger, and garlic.

• Cook tomatoes on medium heat until the tomatoes start softening. At this point, add turmeric, Kashmiri red chili, cumin, and coriander. Stir the tomatoes and cover the pot with a lid.

• When the oil starts rising to the surface, add chicken and cover the pot again with a lid.

• Cook on low heat until the tomatoes have dissolved and chicken appears tender and cooked. Sprinkle garam masala and stir the curry.

• Next add butter to the curry and remove from heat when the butter has completely melted.

• When the curry has slightly cooled, add cream while slowly stirring the curry to avoid curdling.

• Serve with fresh cilantro and naan or rice!

P.S. If you have an instant pot, try Urvashi Pitre's instant pot butter chicken recipe!

Courtesy of my husband