Thanks Rich I have to say I made a complete balls up of that recipe. I rushed it and forgot to get things in the right order, so if anyone is interested I'll do it again (properly) now.
BTW Rich, it is a very popular seller for us now. we sell about 4 times as much butter chicken than we used to when we were making BIR style. Thanks for the tip, I'll try more coriander than cumin next time.
Here goes:
To make 16 litres:
- About 8 tbsps Garlic ginger paste (65% garlic/35% ginger)
- Half a litre of oil
- 4 tbsps Coriander powder
- 4 tbsps Cumin powder
- 2 tbsps salt
- 2 tbsps Cardamom powder
- 2 tbsps chilli powder (kashmiri)
- 1 tsp hot chilli powder
- 1x3kg tin tomato paste (catering size like you buy in cash and carry)
- 1x3kg tin tomato puree
- 4 tbsps tomato ketchup
- A good handfull of methi leaves
- 12-14 tbsps sugar
- 0.5 kg butter
Method:
- Heat oil then add garlic and ginger and cook through
- Mix spices and salt together with water to make a paste and add to pan and cook through
- Add tomato paste and puree and about a third again of water.
- Cook until oil seperates about 30- 40 minutes, (a lid on the pan for the last 15 minutes or so helps)
- When oil releases add a methi (rubbed between fingers), ketchup and sugar and continue cooking for 10 minutes or so.
- Add butter and cook a further 10 minutes.
This is your butter chicken base. Some establishments would also add cashew nut gravy, but we don't as this would spoil in 2-3 days. our batch will last for a week.
If a customer orders a butter chicken we ladle about 360 ml into a pan, heat through and then add a good dollop of cream. Add chicken tikka and thoroughly heat through. Serve with flaked almonds, coriander and cream.
I was sceptical at first with all that tomato stuff in there, but I'm a fan now. if I'm having a butter chicken, I'll add a little base gravy to the pan, and a 1/4 tsp chilli powder. Cook for a couple of minutes and then add butter chicken sauce. it gives it a nice little heat lift for me. ;D
maybe i will introduce a "Butter chicken phall to our menu???