CHICKEN MAKHINI MASALA
4 servings
This dish, contributed by friend and gifted chef Kusuma Rao, is the precursor to the Anglo-Indian favorite chicken tikka masala, also known as butter chicken. All these dishes start with marinated and grilled chicken, which is then fortified with a creamy, rich tomato sauce. We recommend marinating and grilling a sufficiently large batch of chicken for two meals, then following up with this dish the next day. If you wish to make the recipe without an intermediate meal, marinate the chicken, then grill or roast it as you make the sauce.
Marinate:
- 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
in:
- ½ recipe Tandoori Marinade I
Grill as for Tandoori Chicken, or preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 170°F, about 20 minutes.
Cut the cooked chicken off the bone into bite-sized pieces. Heat in a large heavy skillet over medium-low heat until hot:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Add and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant:
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cardamom pods
Add and cook until starting to sizzle and just beginning to brown:
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Add and sauté until very well browned (this can take up to 20 minutes):
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
Add and cook, stirring, for 20 seconds:
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
Add and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes:
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- One 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
Or use:
- ⅓ cup prepared ginger-garlic paste
Stir in:
- 1 pound plum or Roma tomatoes, chopped, or one 14 ½-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 to 3 serrano or jalapeño peppers, to taste, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground fennel
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cook, scraping the skillet frequently, until the tomatoes are completely broken down and the mixture forms a paste, 10 to 15 minutes. (If time allows, add ½ cup water and allow the mixture to simmer, reduce, and become a thick paste again.) If desired, for a very smooth masala, discard the cinnamon and bay leaf and transfer the paste to a blender. Puree until smooth.
If the sauce was blended, scrape it back into the skillet. Stir in:
- ⅓ cup water
Bring the mixture to a simmer and add:
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- (1 tablespoon ground dried fenugreek leaves)
Simmer for 10 minutes, adding a little water as needed and scraping the bottom of the skillet constantly to keep it from burning. Add the cooked chicken along with:
- 3 tablespoons butter
Stir to combine and simmer for another few minutes. If desired, thin out with:
- (Up to ½ cup heavy cream)
Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve with:
- Cooked jasmine or basmati rice
- (Naan)