"Steven Grace" wrote in message
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"Robert Klute" wrote in message
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Look up recipes for Murgh Makhani on the web. Pay careful attention, it
is a two step recipe. First you must prepare a tandoor-style chicken.
I do a boneless tandoori chicken.

It is a rich dish. So, the recipe should call for butter and cream.
The red color comes from tomato paste or sauce.

My favorite is the one in Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking. Here is a
version of it: http://www.our-daily-bread.com/recipes/Makhani.htm


I like the Julie Sahni version from her Classic Indian Cookery.



I also use this hybrid recipe which you may find extremely tasty

First part is Tandoori Chicken as made by Lali Nayar. I believe this is the
easiest and best tasting Tandoori Chicken that I have had. The second part
of the recipe is the Velvet Butter Sauce, as put
together by Julie Sahni.
Butter Chicken. part 1


Tandoori Chicken (Tanduri Murgha)
Serves 4
The most renowned and delicious recipe amongst all the Tandoori dishes is
the "Tandoori Chicken". Although difficult to reproduce the exact smoky
roasted flavour that a Tandoor oven gives, it is possible to make this
recipe at home. The secret to making a good "Tandoori Chicken" lies in the
marinade you make. This recipe comes from "A taste of the Punjab" by
Lali Nayar.
750g (1.5lb) skinned, part-boned chicken breast pieces
30g (1oz) fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped
4 plump cloves of Garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard oil
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
0.5 teaspoon Chilli powder
0.5 teaspoon garam masala
Salt to taste
4 drops of natural orange food colour
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
· Make 3-4 deep incisions in each chicken breast. Put the chicken in a bowl
and set aside.
· In a liquidiser, put the ginger, garlic, yoghurt, 1 tablespoon of lemon
juice, vinegar, mustard oil, fenugreek leaves, mint, cumin seeds, chilli
powder, garam masala, salt, food colour and the coriander leaves. Process
until everything is well blended.
· Pour the mixture over the chicken, coating well and ensuring that it gets
into the incisions. Cover the chicken and place in a fridge for 8-24 hours.
· Pre-heat an oven to 200oC, 425oF, gas mark 7. Remove chicken from the
marinade and put in a baking tin, cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Turn
the pieces once during cooking and baste with the juices occasionally.
The chicken should be crisp on the outside and cooked through at the centre.
· Just before serving, brush the chicken with the remaining lemon juice
and place under a pre-heated grill for about 1-2 minutes to brown.


Butter Chicken part 2

Velvet Butter Chicken
--from Julie Sahni's *Classic Indian Cooking*

16 pieces Tandoori Chicken
2 x 14 oz cans chopped tomatoes and their juice
4 green chilis, seeded and chopped, or half teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
155g/5oz unsalted butter
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 Tablespoon paprika
2 Teaspoons salt
375 ml/12 fl oz double cream
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons ground roasted cumin seeds
4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves

Blend tomato, chillis, and ginger to a fine puree in blender or food
processor.

Heat 125 g/4 oz butter in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Tilt
pan so butter covers base and once foam subsides, brown a few pieces of
chicken at a time (2-3 min. for each batch) and set aside, reserving butter
in pan.

Add cumin and paprika to butter ; stir rapidly 10-15 seconds.
Add the tomato puree. Cook, uncovered, until thickened, 5-8 minutes,
stirring constantly to prevent sticking and burning

Add salt, cream, and chicken pieces, and gently stir to coat chicken with
sauce. Reduce heat to med.-low.
Simmer uncovered until a thin glaze appears on surface (about 10 min), check
and stir often to prevent burning. Stir in remaining butter, garam masala,
and roasted cumin.

You may at this point turn off the heat and let sit for a half an hour,
refrigerate for a day, or freeze. Heat thoroughly before serving, and
fold in coriander when ready to serve.

Alternately try this recipe as a comparison. This following recipe is the
nearest I have made to a UK restaurant style Chicken Tikka Masala.

These recipes come from Pat Chapman, founder of the Curry Club in Britain
and an acknowledged expert on Indian food, and can be found in his
Bangladeshi Restaurant Curries.

Part 1: Chicken Tikka for 4

675g(1.5lb) fresh chicken breasts, skinned, filleted and cut into20-24x3.75
(1.5 inch) cubes.

Marinade
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons chilli powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons garam masala
1-teaspoon ground cumin
0.5-teaspoon turmeric
150ml (5fl oz) thick natural yoghurt (home made is best but not essential)
2 tablespoons mustard oil
4 large, plump garlic cloves very finely chopped
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-tablespoon tomato puree
1-teaspoon salt
Approx 50ml (2fl oz) milk
1. Mix the marinade ingredients together in a large non-metallic bowl
2. Add the chicken pieces. Cover with cling film (Food wrap) and refrigerate
for 24-60 hours. (If chicken has previously been frozen do not exceed the 24
hour marinating period, 60 hours can be achieved with fresh chicken which
has not previously been frozen)
3. Just prior to cooking divide the chicken between four skewers. (Use the
marinade in a curry or discard it)
4. Pre-heat the grill to medium. Place the skewered chicken on an oven rack
above a foil lined grill tray and place the tray in a midway position.
Alternately the chicken can be barbecued.
5. Cook for 5 minutes, turn and cook foe another 5 minutes.
6. Cut through one piece of chicken to ensure it is fully cooked through,
it should be white right through with no hint of pink. Cook further as
necessary. When fully cooked raise the tray nearer to the heat and singe
pieces to obtain little flecks of blackening. Do not overdo it and burn
the chicken
7. Serve with Indian bread, rice etc and a raita or reserve for use in
Chicken Tikka Massala.


Part 2: Chicken Tikka Massala

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 large plump cloves of garlic, finely chopped
225g (8 oz) onions, very finely chopped
1.5 tablespoons bottled mild curry paste
1.5 tablespoons bottled tandoori paste
20-24 chicken Tikka pieces cooked to the previous recipe
6 tinned plum tomatoes, chopped
1-tablespoon vinegar, any type
1-tablespoon tomato ketchup
175ml (6 fl oz) canned tomato soup
Half a green pepper, chopped
0-4 fresh green chillies, chopped (optional)
100ml (4 fl oz) single cream
1-tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves
Salt to taste
1. Heat the oil in a large karai or wok
2. Stir-fry the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the onions and stir-fry
for 8-10 minutes until golden brown
3. Add the pastes and stir-fry for a couple of minutes, then add the chicken
and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, adding just enough water to keep things
from sticking
4. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, ketchup, soup, green pepper and chillies if
using. Stir-fry for 5 minutes or so.
5. Add the cream, garam masala and chopped coriander leaves. Simmer for a
further 2 minutes, adding a little water if needed. Add salt to taste and
then serve