Moti’s Butter Chicken & Naan

Ever since reading Saveur’s email featuring Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhanwala), I’ve been craving Moti’s version.  Apparently, I’m not the only one.  Searching for Moti’s recipe, I stumbled upon The Mike/Mitch Project and the following line rung true: “Ever since leaving Japan I have casually searched for the equivalent of Moti Butter Chicken. Whenever I dine at an Indian restaurant I search the menu for Butter Chicken, but alas I have never found it.”  So, here’s my attempt to recreate Moti’s Butter Chicken.

Butter Chicken

(adapted from Jenna’s Kitchen & taste buddies)

Marinade

ingredients

• 1 ½ lb chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 c yogurt
• ¼ tsp cardamom, ground
• ¼ tsp garam masala
• 1 + ½ tsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ginger, grated

prep

• Mix yogurt and spices thoroughly
• Add chicken, coat and cover
• Marinate overnight

Sauce

ingredients

• 1+ tbsp butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 in piece of ginger, grated
• 1 can of crushed tomatos
• ½ c water
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp cloves
• ½ tsp cardamom
• ¼ tsp fenugreek
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp cayenne
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ c cream
• cilantro to garnish

prep

• Heat butter in a Dutch oven and add the onions
• Add garlic and ginger for a couple of minutes
• Add chicken and fry for about 5 minutes
• Meanwhile, grind spices that are not already in powder form (for me – cloves, cardamom and fenugreek)
• Add crushed tomatoes and ½ c of water
• Stir in spices – salt, cloves, cardamom, fenugreek, cinnamon, paprika, cayenne & bay leaves
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes
• Before serving, add ½ c of cream and garnish with cilantro

Not quite Moti’s, but fantastically delicious!  I used my naan to soak up every last bit of the sauce.  Considering that it’s been over 10 years since stepping foot into Moti, I can’t quite identify the gap.  Maybe it’s the texture, if I recall correctly, Moti’s butter chicken was incredibly smooth and creamy.  Oh no, does this mean that it’s time to invest in a blender?

After all the effort preparing the butter chicken, I couldn’t settle for store-bought naan…

Naan

(from What We’re Eating)

ingredients

• 1 packet active dry yeast
• 1 tsp honey
• ¼ cup warm water (about 110 degrees F)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ c plain yogurt at room temp
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• flour for coating and dusting
• garlic granules, cilantro or other spices to top
• butter

prep

• Dissolve honey in warm water
• Add yeast and let sit for about 5 minutes
• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt
• Create a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast mixture
• Use your fingers to incorporate moving from the center out
• The dough should feel soft and not too sticky, make adjustments as needed
• Knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes on a floured surface
• Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a towel or plastic wrap
• Let the dough rise for 3-4 hours, until the dough has doubled
• Preheat broiler on high
• Separate dough into 6-8 round balls
• Cover the dough while waiting to prevent from drying out
• One at a time, sprinkle flour on the ball, roll thin, sprinkle or press the spices on top
• Place on a baking sheet (2-3 at a time), cook for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, flip for another 30 seconds to a minute
• Repeat
• Brush with butter

When they say that it burns easily, they aren’t kidding. I turned my back for a split second to check on my butter chicken and my garlic batch got a little too toasty. What I did manage to salvage of that version was incredible – you can’t go wrong with garlic granules.

I’ve noticed variations that incorporate milk, yogurt and eggs and wonder how that affects the taste and texture. Maybe one day, I’ll discover Moti’s secrets.