Topic: Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken) with Taz Base

[Gav Iscon]

The ingredients are correct once logged in I find.

[livo]

Looking great Frank.

The original recipe in this thread is def Tikka Masala, I made it to the letter and it tasted nothing like Butter Chicken. Will perhaps try some of the new ones on here !

Hi EuanW.
There are often very loose naming applications to Indian dishes and it sometimes blurs the lines, for me anyhow. If you go back to page 1 of this thread and look at the original video, the link is posted by Petrolhead360 about halfway down, you will notice in the video description that there is mention of Butter chicken (Tikka Masala), and in the video at the 3 minute mark one of the girls explains that Tikka Masala is a term that evolved in England for the dish called Murgh Makhani or Butter Chicken.  This would indicate that this British Indian family considers the dish to be one and the same.

Mridula Baljekar, however, has 2 recipes for Murgh Makhani and Murgh Tikka Makhani with the principal differences being the use of Tandoori Chicken Vs Tikka (bone in or out basically) and the inclusion of additional cream in the Tikka version. I recently prepared both of these together and there was a subtle difference but they are very similar dishes and without being side by side it would be difficult to name them as being one or the other, except for the bones obviously.  This is not always the case though as Butter Chicken does not have to be on the bone and in my experience, usually isn't. 

J & P Lardner's variation between the 2 dishes is that the CTM uses pre-cooked Tikka and a pre-made Masala Sauce, while the Butter Chicken is made from base ingredients.  The distinction between the 2 dishes in all events is minimal.

It would appear that is served as Butter Chicken in one place could well be served as CTM in another and visa versa.

[livo]

MURGH MAKHANI

This all that is left of this recipe.  Just the title.

[Unclefrank]

I have 2 recipes for this

MURGH MAKHANI – BUTTER CHICKEN WITH TAZ BASE
Stage 1 – Chicken Tikka and Marinade Ingredients
1 Chicken Breast – cubed
¼ tsp Salt
1 tsp 1 Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Natural Yoghurt (more if required but enough to coat the chicken)
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 tbsp Ground Cumin
½ tsp Chilli Powder
½ tsp Tandoori Masala
½ tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves
1 tsp Garlic Paste
½ tsp Ginger Paste
1 Green Chilli, Chopped

Stage 1 Method
1. Rub the salt and lemon juice into the chicken
2. Whisk the yoghurt, add vegetable oil and spices.  If you want a less fattening mixture, omit the oil and increase the amount of yoghurt
3. Add the ginger, garlic and chillies
4. Coat the chicken in the marinade, preferably in a glass bowl and marinade overnight or for at least 6 hours.
5. Preheat your oven as high as it will go, and when ready to cook the chicken, turn it down to Gas Mark 6.
6. Place the chicken on a foiled baking sheet or roasting dish, cook for approximately 10 to 15 minutes then remove and drain off the juices.

Stage 2 – Makhani Sauce Ingredients 1
200 ml Taz Curry Base Gravy
½ Tin Chopped Tomatoes, Blended
1 tsp Taz Spice Mixture
1 tsp Paprika Powder
½ tsp Ground Cumin
½ tsp Fenugreek Leaves
¼ tsp Salt
Seeds From 1 Green Cardamom
1 tsp Garlic Paste
½ tsp Ginger Paste
1 Green Chilli, Chopped

Stage 2 Method

Heat 200 ml of base in the pan.
Add the chopped tomatoes, spice mix, paprika, cumin, fenugreek, salt, cardamom seeds, garlic/ginger paste, chopped chilli.
Reduce this mixture right down until you have a thick dry paste.

Stage 3 – Makhani Sauce Ingredients 2

200 ml Taz Curry Base Gravy
2 tsp Honey
1 tbsp Tomato Puree
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
50 gm Butter
40-50 ml Double Cream
¼ tsp Garam Masala
Coriander leaves, to garnish

Stage 3 Method

Add the other half of the base gravy and stir in well.
Reduce to the level or consistency that you want.
Add the tomato puree and honey, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and stir in.
Add the butter, double cream and garam masala simmer until the sauce thickens.
Add the pre-cooked chicken and heat through.
Serve with chopped coriander leaves.

Recipe 2

Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken)(TAZ)

 Chicken Tikka and Marinade
4 Chicken Breasts, Cubed
1½ Tsp Salt
Juice 1 Lemon
4 Tbsp Natural Yogurt Enough To Coat the Chicken
3-4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil (Optional)
4 Tbsp Ground Cumin
2 Tsp Red Chilli Powder Or Less
2 Tsp Tandoori Masala
2 Tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Optional)
1 Tsp Finely Chopped or Crushed Ginger
3 Tsp Finely Chopped or Crushed Garlic
3-4 Finely Chopped Green Chills or Less If You Want Less Heat

Method
1. Rub the salt and lemon juice into the chicken.
2. Whisk the yoghurt, add vegetable oil and spices.
3. Add the ginger, garlic and chillies.
4. Coat the chicken in the marinade overnight or for at least 6 hours.
5. Preheat your oven as high as it will go, turn it down to Gas Mark 6.
6. Place the chicken on a foiled baking sheet or roasting dish, cook for approximately 15 to 20 minutes then remove and drain off the juices.

Makhani Sauce Ingredients 1
2 tins chopped tomatoes
1½ tsp chopped or crushed ginger
1½ tsp chopped or crushed garlic
2 chopped fresh green chillies (if you want less heat use less)
1-2 tsp paprika
5 cloves
4 green cardamoms
1 tsp salt
Method
1. Mix all the ingredients in a pan, bring to the boil, simmer for 15-20 minutes.
2. Leave to cool and remove cloves and cardamoms.
3. Place the sauce in a blender and blend till smooth.
4. Then pass the sauce through a sieve.  You should get most of the sauce through, leaving only the seeds from the tomatoes.

Makhani Sauce Ingredients 2
150 Grams Butter
3 Tsp Ground Cumin
1-2 Tsp Honey
2 Tbsp Tomato Puree
3 Tsp Ground Fenugreek Seeds Or Less If You Prefer
Juice 1 Lemon
130 Ml Double Cream
1 Tsp Garam Masala
Coriander Leaves, Torn or Chopped

Method
1. Melt the butter and gently fry the cumin powder.
2. Add sieved tomato sauce, tomato puree, honey and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
3. Add the crushed fenugreek seeds and lemon juice.
4. Add the double cream, garam masala simmer gently until the sauce thickens.
5. Now add the pre-cooked chicken and heat through.
6. Serve with chopped coriander leaves to decorate.

[livo]

Excellent stuff Unclefrank.  For the Butter Chicken last night, I had made a simple and basic Makhani Gravy and did the Taz base method stage 1 reduction thing using very diluted base to get the dish going.  I then added the Tikka Chicken and Makhani and finished off with a splash of extra cream.  It turned out pretty good.  I'll give your 2 recipes a go for sure.  I really enjoyed all 3 dishes I made using the Taz base and it has a lot of depth from that initial reduction and cooking the spices that way.  My Makhani Gravy included a paste of cashews and char magaz.

I'd really appreciate your take on a CTM.  I'm going to give the Cook4one Balti Passanda a try with my pre-cooked lamb and Taz Base tonight.

[Unclefrank]

I use Jbs base gravy but omit the frying of garlic at the end, i use Ca's ctm recipe but don't use cream i use evaporated milk instead, using Ca's Tandoori powder mix too but only add 1/8th tsp of chilli powder.
i add oil to the pan first then add butter, it should bubble up in a nice medium pace then once the butter as melted i add all the powders in one go on medium to hot heat, shaking the pan and stirring with a wooden spoon to make the powders soak up the oil and butter, you can smell when ready seems to have a roasted nutty, from the butter, to it i then add 236ml of base, which is the size of my ladle, and again shake pan and stir well, once the sauce is red all over i add the chicken raw and stir to coat then cover in the sauce and leave to cook until sealed on one side then flip over and cover again with the sauce, the sauce will thicken quite quickly then stir the chicken around and add the evaporated milk then stir well and leave to cook for around 30 seconds.
I do have a 7.5 kw burner, i timed myself cooking this dish and cook it in 2 minutes and 2 seconds using the above method.

[livo]

Interesting to read over my own earlier posts in this thread from 7 years ago.  I'd say the OP recipe was still there 7 years ago.  Anyway, I'll give your recipe a try UF, although I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of Carnation Evaporated milk in curry.  I'll probably use cream, which may not be BIR.

[Unclefrank]

I use own shop brand evaporated milk and use about 4 tbsp in a CTM, i get 7-8 ctm to one tin of milk.
I have used cream etc but on some occasions when frozen then defrosted can have a slight tang to it.