Creamy North Indian Butter Chicken (Chicken Tikka Masala)

This is my take on a North Indian classic which is very popular around the world, the famous butter chicken or Tikka masala (in the UK).
Made with a buttery gravy with the addition of cream that gives this curry a silky smooth and rich texture.
The beauty of this dish is that the sauce (without the chicken) can be prepare ahead of time. Just allow it to cool completely, store it in an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze it.
I have it with breads such as Chapatis, Naan, Roti Chanai or Tortillas, together with some Palak paneer.
Ingredients:
Boneless chick pcs- 1.3 kg
Blend the green paste: Garlic-34g, Ginger-75g, 2 green chili. (Use only half for marinate and remaining for cooking)
The chicken marinate:
Kashmiri chili powder - 1 tbsp
Cumin powder- 2 tbsp
Turmeric - ½ tsp
Coriander - 3 tbsp
Paprika - 1 tbsp
Yogurt - 4 tbsp
Lime juice - 1 tsp
Honey - 1 tbsp
Half of the blended paste.
Melted ghee- 2 tbsp
Salt- 2 tsp
Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes. Best overnight if possible.
Use the skewers and grill the meat on the barbeque grill. Some charring helps the flavor of the final dish.
Ingredients for the sauce.
Butter - 50g
Diced onions - 340g
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Bay leaf - 1pcs
Black Cardamom-1pc
Green cardamom - 6 pcs
Cashews - 15pcs
Smoked Paprika - 1tbsp
Kashmiri Chili powder - 1 tbsp
Roasted curry powder (Or meat curry powder) - 1 tbsp
Remaining blended paste.
Fresh diced tomatoes- 2 pcs
Brown sugar- 4 tsp
Tomato paste - 1 can
Fresh heavy cream, I used 250 ml packet. Use 200ml for cooking and the balance 50ml used for garnishing.
Fresh Coriander leaves - 3 tbsp.
Method for the sauce:
1) Heat 2 tbsp. of ghee, then add the spices and nuts.
2) Add the onions and 1 tsp of salt. When the onions are translucent, add the diced fresh tomatoes.
3) Add the smoked paprika, curry powder and Kashmiri powder. Add some water to avoid burning the spices.
4) Add the green blended paste and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.
5) Add the brown sugar, followed by the tomato paste.
6) Cook until the fresh tomato, onions are fully cooked. Switch off the flames and allow it to cool to room temperature.
7) Remove the bay leave, Black cardamom and cinnamon (Cassia bark) stick.
8) Blend the curry into a fine paste, then sift the sauce to remove any pieces. You might have some tomato skin and ginger fibers.
9) Heat the butter until golden brown (The makes the butter taste nuttier) and then add the curry sauce.
10) Once the sauce is heated, then add the chicken, cream, and fresh chopped coriander. Allow to simmer for a few minutes.
11) Switch off and garnish with remaining cream and some fresh coriander.