Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani)

Butter chicken, also known as chicken makhani has always been one of my favorite dishes, and I've finally developed a great recipe that has a lot of flavor.  The key to the intense flavor is marinating the chicken.  Enjoy!

chicken marinade
1 lb boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 in. chunks

1 tbsp tandoori masala

2 tbsp yogurt  

sauce
1/2 large onion, finely chopped  1 small shallot, finely chopped OR 1 onion finely chopped 

2 tablespoons butter 

1 tbsp ginger, minced

1 tbsp garlic, minced

2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 cup yogurt

1 cup cream (half and half)

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper  (use up to 1 tsp if you want it spicier)

1 bay leaf

1 cup crushed tomato

1 tbsp tomato paste  

garnish
about 2 tablespoons coriander finely chopped

green chilis (optional if you want it more spicy)
steps  

1. marinade the pieces of chicken in 1 tablespoon tandoori masala and 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt, set aside in the fridge

2. Heat one tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. saute shallot and onion until soft and translucent. stir in butter, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, 1 tspn garam masala, cayenne pepper, cumin and bay leaf. cook, stirring for one minute and add crushed tomato and cook for 2 mins, stirring frequently. stir in half and half and yogurt and reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. season with salt and pepper to taste, remove from heat.

3. heat one tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. add one tablespoon of tomato paste, stir a bit, and then add in  chicken. cook chickenuntil lightly browned, about 10 minutes. reduce heat and if you like you can sprinkle a lil bit of garam masala and cayenne pepper on it as well (although it is already marinated in tandoori powder, so it's not necessary). stir in a few spoonfuls of sauce and simmier until liquid is reduced and chicken is fully cooked.

4. stir the cooked  chicken into the sauce and cook for 5-10 minutes, until thickened. garnish with coriander and green chilis. serve with rice or naan.

Roasted Corn Salad

Last weekend, we made a great roasted corn salad as an accompaniment to our black beans and rice dinner.  It has the right amount of tang, tasted really fresh and had a spicy kick to it!  Would definitely make this again.

Ingredients:

2 ears of corn

1/2 jalapeno de-seeded and finely chopped (use less for milder flavor)

1/8 cup of finely chopped red onion

juice of half a lime

salt to taste

freshly ground cumin to taste

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 400 F

Wrap each ear of corn individually in foil, as well as the jalapeno for about 30 minutes

soak the chopped red onion in a bowl of water, to soften the taste

to a mixing bowl, add:

once corn is done, take off of the ears (large chef knife makes it easy)

de-seed and finely chop half of the jalapeno

add in the red onion and lime

then salt & cumin to taste

we used a generous pinch of salt and bit less than 1/8 teaspoon of the cumin to give you a sense

using freshly ground spices definitely makes a huge difference in the flavor, but if you already have some ground up, then you can add a bit more.

it's best to eat this immediately, but if you like things really spicy, let it sit for a while!

here's a photo of the finished product:

Butternut Squash Curry

So I've been on a butternut squash kick, and wanted to make this desi style.  I came across this recipe on a Canadian show last year, added a few of my own ingredients and it is delicious!  You can pair it with naan and yogurt or some rice and achar. Either way, it's a winner!


Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized butternut squash cut into square chunks
• around 1 tspn black mustard seeds
• about 3/4 tspn salt
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1-2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 dried red chilis
• a pinch of turmeric
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons of finely chopped coriander for garnish

Recipe:

• heat oil on medium heat
• add black mustard seeds, once they begin to splutter, add in the bay leaf and dried red chilis, saute for a minute or two, then add in onions
• once onions begin to change color, add in turmeric and garlic and fry for about 3 minutes, then add in squash and a little bit of water so it doesn't stick to the pot. add salt (you can add more or less depending on your taste) and stir it around
• cover and let cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally
• the squash will probably start to get a bit mushy when you stir it around once it's done, but that's fine.  
• remove from heat, add coriander and give it a stir!

Here are some pics of the finished product:

It's got a great sweet and salty taste, with some heat in every bite!  Enjoy!