Ok, so curry doesn’t photograph well. Let me assure you, the taste of this dish is second to none. As the name suggests, this is rich, calorific comforting creaminess in a bowl, so, as much as I love it, I tend to keep it for special occasions.
This weekend I had five friends over for a curry night, with this dish taking centre stage. I made enough to serve 8, along with three other big curries, onion bahjis, naan, rotis, salad and chutneys, and this is what was left.
I was never really big on Indian food, or spices as a whole, until my fellow foodie friend suggested we go to a class hosted by the amazing Maunika Gowardhan a few years ago. Maunika is so lovely, and knowledgeable, and passionate about what she does. Since we have taken her class, she has released her debut cookbook, Indian Kitchen, which I still need to get my hands on! She has also featured regularly on Jamie’s Food Tube – and her video for this very recipe has reached over one million views.
Since taking the class (and eating Maunikas amazing dishes!) I have never been without a fully stocked spice rack, and regularly cook up curries and Indian inspired food. This dish aside, Indian curries can actually be super healthy, and a lot of them are naturally vegetarian, so perfect if you are wanting to reduce your meat intake, knock up some cheaper meals, or have veggie friends.
Before I make this this curry, I always take the time to knock up a quick yoghurt based marinade for tandoori chicken and let the meat marinate for at least an hour, sometimes overnight, before grilling it to perfection. Yes, it seems a bit fussy, but I once skipped this step and it really just wasn’t the same. By using tandoori chicken in the lovely rich makahni ‘gravy’ you get an amazing depth of flavour you’ll not want to miss out on again. It’s 100% worth it.
RECIPE:
(This makes the makahni ‘gravy’ or sauce. You’ll want about 900g of chicken cooked as above, to add to it. Paneer is a great substitute if you wanted to make this a veggie dish)
3 tbsp butter
10 green cardamom pods lightly crushed, keep the seeds!
2 cinnamon sticks
8 cloves
2 finely chopped onions
2 heaped tbsp grated ginger
4 green chillies slit lengthwise
2 tsp mild paprika
1 tsp garam masala
6 tbsp tomato puree
300mls double cream
4 tbsp honey
2 tbsp fenugreek leaf
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander for garnish
Melt the butter in a large, heavy based pan. Add the whole spices (cinnamon, cloves and cardamom), and fry for around 30seconds until fragrant. At this point add the chopped onion and sauté on a medium heat until softened and slightly browned.
Add the chillies, garam masala, grated ginger and paprika to the pan. Stir to coat the onions evenly, then add the tomato purée and mix through. This is when it starts to smell unbelievable.
Now gradually pour in the cream, stirring all the while.
Add your honey and the fenugreek leaf. If it looks a little thick, you can add a touch of water. Season with salt if you think you need it. Finally, add the already grilled chicken to the beautiful sauce you’ve just made, and let it get to know itself in the pan for 8-10 minutes.
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander, and serve with naan or rice.
I ate so much of this last night and I’m hungry just typing out the recipe again. It’s SO good!
Will keep for a couple of days in the fridge, and probably taste all the better for it!
I’ve adapted this recipe ever so slightly from the amazing Maunikas original, which you can find here.
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