‘Butter Chicken’ as it is known in the West is a richer, creamier version of a basic masala-and-meat stew prepared in Punjabi kitchens in Pakistan and India. It’s not unusual for recipes to be adapted for foreign tastes – just think of how different Chinese food is in China compared with the Chinese served at Chinese restaurants in western countries.

A more authentic butter chicken from Pakistan – note the colour and consistency. (Image: Shireen Anwar, Hamari Web)

The ‘foreign’ creamy, rich, slightly nutty version of Butter Chicken is a derivative of cream-based dishes of the northern subcontinent, usually differentiated from the regular basic recipe using the name ‘Shahi‘, or ‘in the royal style’. When I made a version of this for my friends in Lahore, they asked me to make it again on a weekly basis! So here is my recipe for Shahi Murgh Makhani – don’t let the long ingredients list put you off, the results speak for themselves!

Shahi Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken)

Serves 4 – 6, takes 50 minutes

My homemade Butter Chicken

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp butter
• 500g chicken
• 3 large onions
• 1 medium green chilli (or to taste)
• 4 cloves of garlic
• ½ tsp ginger or ginger paste
• 4 tomatoes
• 6 almonds
• 6 cashew nuts
• 2 tbsp desiccated coconut
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 cups milk
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp red chilli powder (or to taste)
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp pouring cream

Optional garnish; handful of coriander (cilantro) leaves, a tablespoon of pouring cream.

Serve with boiled or steamed white rice, or hot naan or chapatti.

Method

1. Blend the onions, chilli, garlic and ginger together until they are a paste-like consistency – very smooth.
2. Separately, blend the tomatoes to make a paste.
3. Separately again, grind the coconut, almonds, cashews and sugar together.
4. Cut the chicken into pieces
5. Cook the chicken pieces until they start to turn brown and reserve.
6. In a fry pan, fry the onion/chilli/ginger/garlic paste together with the butter until light brown. The moisture will start to dry off it, and the onions will begin to lose their smell, and the aroma will turn buttery.
7. Add the turmeric, chilli powder, butter chicken masala and salt to taste, mix it through. Then add the tomato puree, pouring cream and the almond/cashew/coconut mixture.
8. Cook on medium heat until the butter and masala separates. You’ll know when this happens after about 10 minutes, when the water from the tomato puree boils off and oily bubbles start to splutter around the edge of the pan.
9. Add the chicken and milk.
10. Simmer for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat, cover and let it sit and thicken for another 5 minutes.
11. Decorate it colourfully with a handful of fresh coriander leaves. Serve immediately, and enjoy with steamed rice, chapatti or naan.

Butter Chicken served in a restaurant