Recipe - Mild Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani)

One fourth pt Yogurt, plain
1 teaspoon Ginger, crushed
1 teaspoon Salt
One fourth teaspoon Red food colouring
3 pound Chicken, skinless; cut in
pieces
Oil
2 ounce Butter
1 Cinnamon stick 1 inch
6 Cloves
6 Green cardamoms
1 Bay leaf
One fourth pt Sour cream
One fourth teaspoon Saffron; crushed
One fourth pt Cream
Salt; to taste
2 teaspoon Almonds, ground
One fourth teaspoon Cornstarch
1 tablespoon ;Water

Mix yogurt, ginger, salt and red coloring and rub into chicken. Let it
marinate overnight.

Place in an ovenproof dish and brush with oil. Bake in a 375 degree oven
for 4050 minutes. Save the liquid, if any.

In a saucepan, melt butter and fry cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms and bayleaf
for 1 minute. Add sour cream and chicken liquid. Add crushed saffron, and
cream. Cover and simmer gently for 56 minutes. Add chicken pieces and
adjust seasoning. Add ground almonds. Dissolve cornstarch in water and add
to the chicken.

Let it thicken. Cover and simmer for 34 minutes. Remove from heat. Serve
with nan.

Serving Ideas : Nan makes a pleasant accompaniment to this dish.

NOTES : Orange food coloring can be used in place of the red.

Source: Indian Cooking by Lalita Ahmed
Posted to TNT Prodigy's Recipe Exchange Newsletter by "I. Chaudhary"
imranc@bit.net.au on Nov 15, 1997