Quote from: livo on April 14, 2018, 11:29 PM
One food scientist with 50 years experience actually said that the Makhani word in this dish name is used in the context of the mouth feel of the dish being buttery in texture only and has nothing to do with the use of actual butter. He actually says that a dish containing lots of butter would be unpleasant in it's oiliness. 

I don't care how many qualifications or years' experience he has, His opinions are at complete variance with my findings. One of the first really good Indian dishes I ever made was Madhur Jaffrey's sauce to go over chicken tikka, from her first BBC TV series. I think she called it Makhani.  Anyway, whatever it's called, it comprises almost 50% butter and 50% cream, plus a bit of tomato and a few other ingredients as flavouring, So it must be about 90% fat / oil but it isn't unpleasant - it's delicious. It just goes to show - never trust a so-called expert,

Another thing - it's great how this thread was resurrected since previous postings in 2011. Long may it continue ie. being able to post to threads, no matter how old they are, Some forums don't allow this and force you to open a new thread - bad practice and so irritating in my opinion.

Quote from: George on April 16, 2018, 09:10 AM

One of the first really good Indian dishes I ever made was Madhur Jaffrey's sauce to go over chicken tikka, from her first BBC TV series. I think she called it Makhani.  Anyway, whatever it's called, it comprises almost 50% butter and 50% cream, plus a bit of tomato and a few other ingredients as flavouring, So it must be about 90% fat / oil but it isn't unpleasant - it's delicious. It just goes to show - never trust a so-called expert,

I think I have that recipe in a Madhur book (the first curry book I ever bought), and I agree, it is delicious.

I also wrote this, in the opposite vein, as the last sentence of that paragraph.

Quote from: livo on April 14, 2018, 11:29 PM
Mind you others say that is must contain lots of butter.

The word Makhani apparently has 2 meanings in language for Indian people. It is used in relation to either the use of actual butter (ie; with butter) or being of a buttery consistency but without the use of butter ( ie; as of butter).  Cream, yogurt and oil will all provide this effect without the use of butter.  Makhani without butter is common and this is the point that ELW has shown, It surprised him as it does others, including me quite some time ago.  As with mostly all menu dishes in this field of cooking the actual nomenclature is a bit loose.

Quote from: George on April 16, 2018, 09:10 AM

Some forums don't allow this and force you to open a new thread - bad practice and so irritating in my opinion.

Not necessarily in all cases.  Sometimes revisiting an older thread is more appropriate and provides "better housekeeping".  I do agree with you on this point, in this instance though George, but perhaps ELW was in a hurry and didn't have time to edit the whole quote he was looking for and move it to an appropriate thread or create a new one.  I understood what he meant without issue and your post has perhaps reminded Garp of a recipe he'd like to revisit. No harm done.