butter chicken masala and naan - name me a better pair, I'll wait

'cause na'an else compares

butter chicken is so ubiquitous - so much that it’s the MOST ordered dish in most North Indian restaurants! the best pairing to go with it is garlicky, buttery naan which acts as the PERFECT vessel to contain the rich sauce before it gets devoured.

this recipe for butter chicken masala captures the signature flavours of butter chicken - rich, creamy, mildly spicy, with a slight tang of tomato. the use of Kashmiri chilli powder gives it a rich red colour without the overwhelming piquancy. a restaurant tip we discovered is also the addition of ketchup at the end which gives it a sour, jammy finish.

also, our recipe for garlic naan is guaranteed to create the BEST result for soft, pillowy pan-cooked naan which can be easily replicated at home WITHOUT the use of a tandoor. you gotta trust us when we say this comes close to a restaurant-made tandoori naan!

creamy butter chicken masala

400g boneless chicken leg, cubed
400g chicken breast, cubed

marinade:

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, grated
2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp fennel powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3 tbsp plain yogurt
Salt, to taste

sauce:

3 medium red onions, sliced
5-6 green chillies, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 inches ginger, minced
1 large tomato, diced
3 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp fennel powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp asafoetida (optional)
2 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp Leila Ghee
3 tbsp oil
400g canned diced tomato
300 ml water
1 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp dried fenugreek leaf (kasoori methi)
3 tbsp tomato ketchup
3 stalks coriander leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

directions:

• mix all the marinade ingredients thoroughly with the chicken. let it marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight

• in a pan, heat oil on medium-high heat. sear the chicken pieces until exterior is slightly browned. remove from pan and set aside.

• in the same pan, melt the ghee. sauté the sliced onion until translucent. add in the green chillies, fresh tomato, garlic and ginger and mix well.

• add in the spices except for the. stir through every now and then for 10 minutes or until soft and jammy.

• add in the canned tomato and water stir well. bring it to a gentle simmer and leave to cook, covered, for 10 minutes.

• using an immersion blender / regular blender, puree the sauce until smooth.

• add in the seared chicken pieces and simmer for another 15-20 minutes.

• once the chicken is tender and fully cooked, add in the cream, garam masala, fenugreek leaves. stir well and add in the ketchup. adjust with salt and pepper. garnish with coriander leaves and serve with a light drizzle of cream on top.

homemade garlic naan

10g caster sugar
14g instant dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
250g all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
60g LEILA Ghee, softened
3 tbsp plain yogurt
garlic butter:
3 tbsp LEILA ghee
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp salt

directions:

• in a bowl, combine lukewarm water, with yeast and sugar and let the meat activate for 5 minutes.

• in a separate bowl, combine flour, ghee, salt, yogurt and yeast mixture. using clean hands, mix everything together into a rough mass. dust countertop with flour and transfer the dough.

• knead for 5-8 minutes into a smooth and elastic dough. transfer into a bowl greased with some ghee. cover with cling film and let proof for 1 hour at room temperature.

• separate the dough into 6 equal balls. flatten the dough with your fingers into a round disk.

• heat a pan and fry the naan without oil. once the bottom gets browned spots, flip it over and to cook fully.

• to make the garlic butter, combine ghee, salt and garlic in a saucepan. stir constantly until garlic becomes slightly golden. remove from heat and combine the coriander.

• spread the garlic butter onto one side of the naan and serve warm.