Kashmiri Murg Makhani (Kashmiri Butter Chicken)

Three weeks of pure vegetarian food has finally come to an end and it was on special request by Father-in-law who could no longer manage with vegetarian food, however yummy it might be. So as a farewell meal, I decided to include both vegetarian and non vegetarian food in the menu to satisfy both the palate and the rituals. While it was Chena Kofta for Grandma, I prepared Kashmiri Makhani Gosht for the deprived non veggies. Oh! But Kashmiri Makhani Gosht calls for mutton and as I do not have access to good quality mutton, I rechristened it as Kashmiri Murg Makhani! However, if you have good quality mutton at hand, go ahead and prepare it the same way as I have cooked the chicken, except that mutton will need a few more whistles in the cooker.

Ingredients

500 gms chicken washed and cut

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 tbsp + 1 tsp ginger juliennes

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 bay leaves

1 tsp dry ginger powder

1 tsp fennel seeds

3-4 tbsp yogurt whipped

1 tsp crushed kashmiri red chilli (I used red chilli flakes)

1/2 tsp chilli powder

2 each of cardamom, cloves, and cinammon roughly thrashed

6-8 black peppercorns

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp oil

Direction

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and splutter the cumin seeds and whole spices. Add the onions and fry till translucent. Now add the chicken and fry on a high to medium heat until slightly golden. Add the fennel seeds, salt, ginger powder, ginger juliennes, chilli powder and crushed chillies, and whipped yogurt and continue frying till the oil separates. Now add 1/2 cup warm water and 2 tbsp butter and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles until done (if using mutton, cook for about 5/6 whistles depending on how tender is the mutton). Let the pressure release completely and then transfer to a serving dish and garnish with a blob of butter and coriander leaves.