How to cook Makhni curry?

Makhan means butter in Hindi. Therefore, at times it is also called Buttery Curry. In reality, it is incorporating three ingredients: Dahi yogurt, Heavy cream, and Butter in the basic Tomato gravy curry. A small amount of sugar is added to balance the sourness from the Dahi yogurt and any bitterness from the tomatoes.

The distinct orange color is a result of white in the Heavy cream, yellow from Turmeric and red from Degi Mirch and tomato. Choose Tomatoes that are sweet and ripe. Also see How to control  tomato acid taste in Curry Gravy?

To illustrate the technique I will use only essential curry spices. I will make basic Makhni Chicken Curry.

Ingredients

1. Marinated Chicken : 1 pound

2. Yellow cooking onion medium: 1

3. Fresh Garlic Cloves: 2

4. Fresh ginger: ¼"

5. Tomato Large: 1

5. Canola oil: 1 Tablespoon

6. Cumin Powder: ½ teaspoon

7. Salt: ¼ teaspoon

8. Cayenne pepper ground: ¼ teaspoon

9. Turmeric Powder: ¼ teaspoon

10. Coriander powder: 1 teaspoon

11. Dahi yogurt: 2 Tablespoons

12. Butter: ¼ Cup

13. Sugar: ¼ teaspoon

14. Bay leaf: 2

15. Clove (Spice): 4

16. Whole Black Cardamoms: 2

17. Degi Mirch (Paprika): 1 teaspoon

18.Water: ¼ Cup

19. Heavy whipping cream: ½ Cup

20. Fresh Cilantro: ¼ Cup

Method

Step 1. Food Preparation

Peel and grind onions with minimum water. You can do that in an electric blender.

Peel garlic cloves, Peel and slice ginger, wash tomatoes and puree these three ingredients together in the electric blender

Wash and remove large stems from Cilantro. Coarsely chop Cilantro.

Step 2.

Choose a heavy bottom pan with a lid. This pan should NOT be bare Aluminum or Iron.

Add oil. Heat oil to medium

Always add cooking oil to cold pan and then heat.

Step 3

Add ground onions, salt and cayenne pepper.

Sauté till almost all the water is gone, the oil starts to exude. Don't let the onions burn or too brown. Caramelized or brown onions will take away from the flavor of curry.

Always add onions to hot oil.

Always add salt with onions, when the onions are to be sautéed.

Step 4

Add cumin powder, coriander powder, Turmeric and marinated chicken. Sauté for about 3 or 4 minutes. The chicken will be covered with spices, and the exterior will turn white.

Step 5

Add Dahi yogurt one tablespoon at a time. Sauté till all Dahi is almost consumed. If you add all the Dahi at one time, it will curdle resulting in unpleasant appearnce.

Step 6

Add pureed tomatoes. Continue to cook one medium heat till almost all the water is gone. Now you should have chicken in a thick shiny (from the oil exuding) tomato sauce

Step 7

Add water, Butter, Sugar, Degi Mirch, Bay leaf, Cardamom, Spice Cloves, and Cinnamon. Bring it o a boil. Cover and simmer till chicken is tender.

Never Fry Degi Mirch in oil. Degi Mirch is delicate and will burn easily on high heat.

Step 8

Turn down heat to low. Add Heavy whipping cream one table spoon at a time and stirring. This will prevent cream from separating. You may cook longer after the cream has been add, but only on low to medium heat.

Step 9 Garnish

Cilantro is the most common garnish fro the curries. Stir in Cilantro.