Butter Chicken

Overview
Butter chicken is a very common dish you get in all Indian restaurants. This is usually served with Naan or any Indian bread. Usually a heavy cream or yogurt based dish mixed with spices. I have used all whole spices that adds a nice fresh aroma to this dish.

Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken Ingredients - Not included in picture
Heavy Cream and Kasthuri Methi

Ingredients
Boneless chicken breast cut into cubes  - 2 lbs
Finely chopped red onions - 1 1/2  cups
Garlic  15 cloves
Ginger - 2 inch piece cleaned and cut into pieces
Plum tomatoes finely chopped - 1 cup
Cilantro finely chopped - 1/4 cup
Coriander seeds - 3 tablespoons
Red Whole chilly - 4 - 6
Raw Cashews - 1/2 cup
Butter - 1/2 stick
Heavy cream 1/4 cup
Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon
Star anise - 1
Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 1 inch pieces
Fennel seeds - 11 teaspoon
Whole black pepper - 1 teaspoon
Kasthuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)- 1 tablespoon
Oil - 3 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Grind the cashew with a little water to make a smooth paste and keep aside.
2. In a blender add the garlic, ginger, coriander seeds, whole red chillies, star anise, cardamom, cloves, fennel seeds, cinnamon, black pepper and turmeric along with some water and make a smooth paste and keep aside.
3. Heat a heavy bottom pan and add the butter along with the oil. When the butter melts and the it gets hot add the finely chopped onions to this and saute till the onions are light brown.
4. Add the smooth spice paste and cashew paste to this and saute till the oil separates. keep stirring so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
5. Add the finely chopped tomatoes to this along with some salt and mix well  cover dish and cook on low flame  stirring occasionally. When the tomatoes gets cooked and oil begins to separate  add the chicken pieces along with salt as needed and mix well.
6. Cover dish and cook on low flame. Keep stirring every 3 - 4 minutes till the chicken is cooked  and the gravy has thickened. Finely crush the kasthuri methi and add to this. Add heavy cream and mix well. Turn off heat.
7. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with finely chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with any Indian bread.