Butter Chicken
To make the marinade, mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Prick the chicken pieces with a fork to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat. Add the chicken to the bowl and stir well to coat thoroughly. Cover the bowl and set aside in the fridge to marinate for at least a couple of hours.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180°C fan/400°F/gas 6.
Spread the marinated chicken out on a baking tray and cook in the hot oven for 15 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce. If the chicken finishes cooking before you have finished making the sauce, switch the oven off after the 15 minutes and leave the meat to rest in the oven. Blanch the tomatoes in a bowl of boiling water for a few minutes, then remove their skins. Cut into quarters and remove the seeds, then roughly chop and place in a food processor. Blitz to a smooth purée.
Heat the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the puréed fresh tomatoes as well as the tomato purée and cook for 8- 10 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked through, stirring regularly to avoid them sticking and burning. Add all the spices, chilli powder, salt and sugar, mix well and cook for a further 2 minutes until emulsified.
Lower the heat, then add the ground cashew nuts and cream, and stir well. Add 500-600 ml (20-24 fl oz/ 21⁄2 cups-scant 3 cups) water – the quantity you choose to add depends on how runny you want the sauce to be. Bring the mixture to a boil, and when it starts bubbling, add the chicken, lower the heat and cook for a further 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle over the cardamom seeds and dried fenugreek leaves. Stir and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving with rice or any Indian flatbreads.
Roti
Place the flour in a large bowl, then slowly add 180 ml (6 f1 oz/3⁄4 cup) water, and mix everything with your hands until it comes together into a dough. Depending on the brand of flour you use, you may need more or less flour. Knead the dough well for around 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl and leave to rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes until it becomes firm. This will ensure the dough holds its shape while rolling.
Once the dough has rested, divide it into 10 equal-sized balls. Lightly sprinkle the work surface with flour, flatten one ball onto the floured work surface. then roll it out until it is around 3 mm (1⁄8 in) thick and 17 cm (61⁄2 in) wide. Repeat with the other dough balls.
Heat a frying pan (skillet) or pancake pan over a high heat. Once hot, place one rolled-out roti inside. Cook for about 30 seconds, then turn over to the other side. Then, turn again and let it cook until blisters form on the surface and it starts to rise when you press it with a clean dish towel. Repeat on the other side – being careful not to burn your fingers! Once evenly cooked on both sides (this will take around 2 minutes on each side), apply the butter or oil to one side and wrap in a clean dish towel to keep warm while you make the rest. Serve with any curry of your choice.
Butter Chicken
To make the marinade, mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Prick the chicken pieces with a fork to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat. Add the chicken to the bowl and stir well to coat thoroughly. Cover the bowl and set aside in the fridge to marinate for at least a couple of hours.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180°C fan/400°F/gas 6.
Spread the marinated chicken out on a baking tray and cook in the hot oven for 15 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce. If the chicken finishes cooking before you have finished making the sauce, switch the oven off after the 15 minutes and leave the meat to rest in the oven. Blanch the tomatoes in a bowl of boiling water for a few minutes, then remove their skins. Cut into quarters and remove the seeds, then roughly chop and place in a food processor. Blitz to a smooth purée.
Heat the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the puréed fresh tomatoes as well as the tomato purée and cook for 8- 10 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked through, stirring regularly to avoid them sticking and burning. Add all the spices, chilli powder, salt and sugar, mix well and cook for a further 2 minutes until emulsified.
Lower the heat, then add the ground cashew nuts and cream, and stir well. Add 500-600 ml (20-24 fl oz/ 21⁄2 cups-scant 3 cups) water – the quantity you choose to add depends on how runny you want the sauce to be. Bring the mixture to a boil, and when it starts bubbling, add the chicken, lower the heat and cook for a further 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle over the cardamom seeds and dried fenugreek leaves. Stir and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving with rice or any Indian flatbreads.
Roti
Place the flour in a large bowl, then slowly add 180 ml (6 f1 oz/3⁄4 cup) water, and mix everything with your hands until it comes together into a dough. Depending on the brand of flour you use, you may need more or less flour. Knead the dough well for around 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl and leave to rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes until it becomes firm. This will ensure the dough holds its shape while rolling.
Once the dough has rested, divide it into 10 equal-sized balls. Lightly sprinkle the work surface with flour, flatten one ball onto the floured work surface. then roll it out until it is around 3 mm (1⁄8 in) thick and 17 cm (61⁄2 in) wide. Repeat with the other dough balls.
Heat a frying pan (skillet) or pancake pan over a high heat. Once hot, place one rolled-out roti inside. Cook for about 30 seconds, then turn over to the other side. Then, turn again and let it cook until blisters form on the surface and it starts to rise when you press it with a clean dish towel. Repeat on the other side – being careful not to burn your fingers! Once evenly cooked on both sides (this will take around 2 minutes on each side), apply the butter or oil to one side and wrap in a clean dish towel to keep warm while you make the rest. Serve with any curry of your choice.
