Butter Chicken....

Long time....but what does an overworked and NOT paid woman do???

So much to do and absolutely no time...

Sometimes I begin to wonder...

Its always then that I remember the poem by William Wordsworth...what else but The Daffodils comes to mind...
The word leisure defines all that is few and far between....
So we move on,with the hope that tomorrow will be a better,hopefully lazier day!
You need something warm and yummy to fill you up.
And butter Chicken is the perfect antidote to all that's blue.

Red and Buttery and warm and inviting!

All you need are leftovers,trust me,you will not want to roast or bake tandoori chicken only for the butter chicken...so while wisdom prevails-make Extra!

for the
Butter Chicken...

you need.
6 - 8 pieces of tandoori chicken
750 gms chopped tomatoes
2 tspn  ginger -garlic paste
75 gms butter
75 gms fresh cream or malai
Salt,red Chilli to taste
1 tspn sugar or honey
1 tspn kasoori methi
4-8 slit green chillies(put only as much as you can bear)
4-8 green cardamom and cloves
2 inch piece of cinnamon

Lets start with the sauce..

these are the basic ingredients,to which you need to add about  a cup of water ,the salt and red chili powder and set to boil in a pressure cooker.Around 10 minutes should do it.
Next step...blend it all in with a stick blender.

Even if you don't...will do...
And pass through a soup strainer..

All the muck and goo of the tomatoes and spices is left behind and you get a clear runny sauce.Now put 3/4 the butter in a pan and let it warm up.

To this pan now add the sauce we strained and let it simmer for about 10 odd minutes.

Once it has thickened a bit add the cream or the fresh malai.That is why most Indians do not drink full fat milk,so that they can use the fat elsewhere(sic).

Simmering away to glory,now its time to check for the seasoning and adjust them.
That's Kasoori methi -by the way.....Dried Fenugreek Leaves

A tsp is all you need to add tons of flavour.In a small Tadka Pan heat the remaining butter and add the methi,not to fry,just to release the aromas ,and add it to the gravy.

That's the Chicken all leftovers from last night.
                                         
And now they go into the gravy...

Let them be coated well and then pour out to serve with any kind of bread or roti or naan.

I wish I could say that this was  my recipe,but no......this is from Jiggs Kalra,
The chef with whom BUKHARA,Hotel ITC Maurya Sheraton almost identifies with.
From THE book-Cooking with the Masters.

Many a treat to come from there dear,
Tomorrow being KarvaChauth.....The festival when one does not eat or even drink a drop of water...(I wanted to write blood-so twilight...)for one's beloved.The Best part is the dressing up and the fact that you end up at least a kilo lighter at the end of the day...which end with Ma Ki Dal and Gobi Aloo....Standard menu.
So tomorrow night  the Dal will be BUKHARA Style....Ma Ki Dal....
Desi boys at home here...

Going to make thumbprint cookies with jam today....


So what are you baking today???