MANtasic Meals – Part 3

Duncs’ Butter Chicken

Let me tell you about the good man we call "Duncs"!  Duncs is a HR Manager in the health sector, loves a round or two of golf, he’s a mad AFL supporter and a bachelor most nights of the week except for when he is hanging out with his two strapping teenage sons whom he adores and oddly enough Duncs someone you love to have a beer with!

When I sent the shout out for the ‘Mantastic Meals’ recipes, Duncs was the first to reply.  That’s one of the things we all love about him – he’s someone you can count on.  His reasons for sending this particular recipe were pretty simple.  He said to me “I love all Indian food but I love butter chicken”.  Do we need anymore reason than that to trust this man’s recipe for butter chicken?

What you need:

•   2 tablespoons peanut oil

•   3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

•   ½ white onion, peeled and chopped

•   40g butter

•   Juice of ½ lemon

•   1 clove of garlic, crushed or chopped

•   2cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

•   2 teaspoon garam masala

•   1 teaspoon chilli powder

•   1 teaspoon ground cumin

•   1 bay leaf

•   3 tablespoons natural yogurt

•   250ml (1 cup) cream

•   250ml (1 cup) tomato puree

•   ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

•   1 pinch salt

•   1 pinch black pepper

•   500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces

•   1 pinch cayenne pepper

•   1 tablespoon cornflour

What you do:

1 To make the sauce: heat half of the oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Fry the shallots and onion until soft and transparent.

2. Stir in butter, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, half the garam masala, chilli powder, cumin and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

3. Add tomato puree, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Stir in the cream and yogurt. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

5. Heat the rest of the oil in a large heavy frypan over medium heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned, turning once, for about 10 minutes. Reduce heat and season with the rest of the garam masala and cayenne. Stir in a few spoonfuls of sauce, and simmer until liquid has reduced, and chicken is no longer pink. Spoon the cooked chicken into the sauce.

6. Mix together the cornflour and water, then stir into the sauce. Adjust seasonings and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

Serves 4.  Enjoy friends!

Duncs found this recipe on the Internet.  Site address not supplied.

If there are any male readers that would like to submit their favorite recipe to be published in the ‘MANtastic Meals’ series, I would love to hear from you.  Please email me at foodforyoureviews@hotmail.com