Jim,
I decided to share on of my recipes with you. By the way, all Indians are not vegetarians. Many consume fish and poultry. This recipe for Butter Chicken is absolutely wonderful. You may not have cury leaves but can use bay leaves (I grow my own curry leaves in a pot). Only other ingredients you may not have are the cardamom pods and fenugreek. You can order them online od get them at an Indian market.
Enjoy.
Ray
Indian Butter Chicken
Chicken
2 ½ to 3 lbs of chicken (boneless and skinned)
dry rub or marinade of your choice
Marinate chicken for a few hours, and then apply other seasonings or rub of your choice. Grill chicken until just barely done (it will cook more in the sauce).
Cut chicken into serving size pieces (about 1 ½ inches) and reserve (this can even be done the day ahead and refrigerated).
Note : Some recipes call for Tandoori Chicken but I prefer my own grilled chicken.
Butter Cream Sauce
2 TBS butter
2 or 3 curry leaves
2 bay leaves
2 black cardamom pods – lightly crushed
7 or 8 green cardamom pods – lightly crushed
1 stick cinnamon
10-12 whole cloves
4 cloves chopped garlic
8 quarter size pieces of fresh ginger
2 green Serrano chile peppers – chopped
1 large can whole tomatoes (28 ounce) and 1 small can whole tomatoes (14 ounce)
1 TSP paprika
½ TSP ground nutmeg
1 TSP salt
1 TSP fenugreek seeds – toasted and ground
2 ½ cups liquid (reserved tomato juice plus water as necessary)
1 cup heavy cream
2 TBS butter at room temperature
1. Drain juices from tomatoes into a large measuring cup and reserve. Coarsely chop tomatoes.
2. Heat 2 TBS butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook and stir the curry leaves, bay leaves cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods, garlic, ginger, and chili peppers until lightly browned (about 3 minutes).
3. Add chopped tomatoes, nutmeg, paprika, and water / juice. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tomatoes are soft and volume has reduced by about half (25 to 30 minutes). Stir occasionally.
4. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Pass through a food mill and discard the solids. Return the sauce to the pan, add salt and toasted fenugreek, and cook over medium-high heat about 10 minutes, stirring as needed. Use a “splatter guard” to help contain the sauce.
5. Add cream and simmer over low heat for another 5 minutes, then swirl in the 2 TBS of room temperature butter.
Assembly
Chicken (from above)
Sauce (from above)
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 piece (1 inch) of fresh ginger (peeled, sliced, and cut into matchstick size pieces)
2 Serrano chili peppers – cut off tops, slice into quarters lengthwise, and remove seeds
1. Add chicken to sauce and cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
2. While sauce and chicken mixture is simmering, heat oil in small saucepan and cook chili peppers and ginger until tender – 3 or 4 minutes.
3. When sauce is ready, add the peppers and ginger, mix well and serve hot.
Note: This is great over rice.
