Butter Chicken

Time 2.5 hrs

Ingredients

Chicken medium pieces / leg pieces 400 gm

Red chili powder 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste 1/2 tsp

Garam masala 1/2 tsp

Dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) 1.4 tsp

Tomato puree of 2 tomatoes

Green cardamoms 2-3

Cloves 3-4

Pepper corns 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon 2-3 small pieces

Honey 1 tsp

Paste of cashew nuts 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Butter 2 tbsp

Cream 1.2 cup

For marinade

Thick curd 1/2 cup

Lemon juice 0.5 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Ginger garlic paste 1/2 tsp

Garam masala 1/2 tsp

Red chili powder 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Method

Make incisions with a fork on the breast and leg pieces of the chicken. Apply a mixture of red chili powder, thick curd (Hang curd for 20 min in cotton cloth so excess water will get removed), lemon juice, garam masala, turmeric powder and salt to the chicken and set aside for 2 hours.

Heat butter in a pan. Add green cardamoms, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon. Sauté for two minutes, add ginger-garlic paste. Cook for two minutes. Add tomato puree, red chili powder, garam masala powder, salt. Fry for 2 min Then add 1/4 cup of water. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add honey, cashew nuts paste and powdered kasoori methi, marinated chicken pieces. Simmer for 15-18 minutes by covering lid till it is done and then add fresh cream. Serve hot with naan, roti or paratha. 

Chicken Biryani

Time 90 min

Ingredients

Basmati rice 1 cup

Chicken medium pieces / leg pieces 400 gm

Mint leaves 2 tsp

Finely chopped onion 2 big size 

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Ginger garlic paste 1/2 tsp

Green chilies 3-4 

Coriander leaves 2 tsp

Biryani masala 1/2 tsp

Red chili powder 1/4 tsp

Bay leaves 2-3

Pepper corns 1/2 tsp

Cloves 5-6

Cinnamon 2-3 small pieces

Ghee 2-3 tbsp

2 tbsp milk mixed with saffron strands 1/5 tsp

Water 1.5 cup or less

Salt to taste

Method

Soak the rice in water for 1 hr. Then cook rice in pressure cooker with bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, salt and 1 tbsp ghee till 70% rice is cooked.  Drain the water. Allow it to cool. 

Chop lengthwise onion and fry in kadai till golden brown. 

In a bowl take chicken, gingergarlic paste, finely chopped mint, finely chopped green chilies, coriander leaves, pepper corns, cumin, red chili powder, turmuric, salt, biryani masala, fried onion and add oil 2 tsp, mix all very nicely. Keep this in refrigerator for 1 hr.

Heat the thick bottom non stick sauce pan. Add ghee after it becomes hot, add half of marinated chicken at the bottom. Cover this with half of boiled rice, again cove rice with remaining marinated chicken, again add remaining rice. Then sprinkle the saffron milk over the rice. Also sprinkle melted  2 tsp of ghee. Cover with lid. Keep the low flame and cook for 20-30 min. Better keep pan on tava so to avoid burning of rice. Serve hot.