Butter Chicken Curry

Real butter chicken has two non-negotiables: chicken with actual char on it, and a gravy blended until completely silk-smooth. The marinade does the first job; a cashew-thickened tomato base and a final knob of butter do the second.

Ingredients

• 700g boneless chicken thighs, cut in chunks
• 150g plain yogurt; 2 tbsp tandoori masala; 1 tsp turmeric
• 400g tomato passata
• 60g cashews, soaked 20 minutes
• 1 large onion, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves; 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 100ml cream; 50g butter; 1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek)
• Salt; fresh coriander

Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken in yogurt, tandoori masala, turmeric, and salt — minimum 1 hour, overnight if you can.
2. Thread onto skewers (or spread on a tray) and grill/broil on high until charred at the edges, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
3. Soften the onion in half the butter, add garlic and ginger, then the passata, soaked cashews, garam masala, and chilli. Simmer 15 minutes, then blend until completely smooth.
4. Return to the pan with the chicken, cream, remaining butter, and crushed kasuri methi. Simmer 8 minutes. Serve with naan or basmati.

Club tip

Crush the kasuri methi between your palms before adding — it wakes up the aroma the way whole spices never can from the jar.