Butter Chicken

Instructions

1. Cut 150 g of boneless chicken thigh into 3 cm pieces. In a bowl mix 2 tbsp of thick yogurt, 1 tsp of ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp of lemon juice, 0.5 tsp of Kashmiri chilli powder, 0.25 tsp of turmeric, 0.25 tsp of garam masala and 0.25 tsp of salt. Turn the chicken through the marinade until every piece is coated and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours in the fridge).
2. Meanwhile make the makhani gravy. Put 200 g of roughly chopped ripe tomatoes into a small saucepan with 8 g of cashew nuts, 1 tsp of ginger-garlic paste, 0.5 tsp of Kashmiri chilli powder, 2 lightly crushed green cardamom pods and 60 ml of water. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes, until the tomatoes have collapsed and the cashews are soft enough to crush against the pan.
3. Fish out the cardamom husks, blend the tomato mixture to a purée with a stick blender, then push it through a fine sieve back into a bowl, pressing hard on the solids. You should have a glossy, pourable orange gravy with no skin or grit in it.
4. Set a heavy frying pan over high heat and melt 5 g of the butter. Lift the chicken from the marinade, shaking off the excess, and lay the pieces out in a single layer. Sear undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until browned and lightly charred at the edges, turn and give them 2 minutes more, then lift out onto a plate. They should be coloured but not yet cooked through.