Butter Chicken

Ingredients:

For the chicken marinade:

- 800g chicken thigh, cut into bite size pieces

- 200g full fat yogurt

- 4 garlic cloves

- 2 tsp lemon juice

- 5cm knob ginger

- 1-2 green chilli

- 1 tsp garam masala

- 1/2 tsp turmeric

- 1 tsp cumin

- 1 tsp red chilli powder

- 1 tsp salt

For the curry:

- 3 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil (I sometimes just use oil too, if I want a lighter curry)

- 1 onion, sliced

- 1 star anise

- 1 cinnamon stick

- 3-4 cloves

- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

- 2 tbsp minced garlic

- 1 tbsp minced ginger

- 1 tsp cumin

- 1 tsp garam masala

- 1 tsp ground coriander

- 1 tbsp tomato paste

- 400g crushed canned tomatoes

- 2 tsp red chilli powder

- 2 1/2 tsp salt

- 250ml double cream

- Coriander to garnish

Instructions:

- In a food processor, pulse the chilli, ginger and garlic to make the marinade. Add the chicken to a bowl and add the marinade, coating the chicken.

- Lay out the chicken on a baking tray and grill in your oven until charred (5-6 mins on either side) or fry in a pan until browned

- Heat butter and oil in a pan and add in your cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, cloves and star anise. Once the cumin seeds sizzle, add the onions. Cook until golden browned and caramelised, then add ginger and garlic. Cook until fragrant, then add spices and tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes until the paste has darkened.

- Add crushed tomatoes and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

- Add in the chicken along with the cooking liquid and double cream. Cook for 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

- Taste and season. Garnish with coriander, and serve with rice and fresh naan.