Currytastic

My Best Butter Chicken Recipe, but is it better than Chicken Tikka Masala?

David — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 21:52:53 +0000

Butter Chicken or Murgh Makhani to give it it’s correct name, is a typical Punjabi dish which is now popular in many countries all over the world. It is a rich creamy dish and can be made as mild or as spicy as you like and has to be one of my all-time favourite curries to make and eat. Although similar, you shouldn’t confuse Butter Chicken with Chicken Tikka Masala. CTM originated in the UK where as Butter Chicken is a true Punjabi dish with hundreds of years of tradition and history.

This Butter Chicken Recipe is based on another sweary Gordan recipe that I’ve adapted for my fine tuned palate

Easy Butter Chicken Recipe

Butter Chicken Origins

Originating in northwestern India and eastern Pakistan, Butter Chicken is typically a very rich dish, as is typical with cuisine from the Punjab due to the amount of calories that the rural people burn whilst working in the fields during the day. According to Wikipedia, Butter Chicken can be traced back to Mogal times to a chap by the name of Kundan Lal Gujral. Kundan supposedly ran a famous restaurant in Peshawar which was called “Moti Mohal”.

Easy Butter Chicken Recipe:

Chicken Ingredients

800g skinless, boneless chicken cut into 3cm pieces. You can use thighs if like as some people think this has more flavour
2 peeled garlic cloves finely crushed
2cm peeled ginger finely grated
½ tsp salt
½ – 1 tsp hot chilli powder

Butter Chicken Served with Rice
1½ tsp lemon juice
75ml natural yoghurt
½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil

Sauce Ingredients

1½ tbsp ghee or if you can’t get ghee, use melted unsalted butter
2 peeled garlic cloves finely crushed / chopped
2cm stick peeled ginger finely chopped
Seeds from 1 cardamom pod lightly crushed
2 cloves
1 tsp ground coriander
1 -2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 – 3 tsp hot chilli powder(careful!)
275ml tomato purée
1 tbsp lemon juice
40g unsalted butter
100ml double cream
1 tbsp chopped coriander for garnish

Butter Chicken Recipe – Chicken Preparation

From the Chicken Ingredients, add the cubed chicken, garlic, ginger, shilli, salt and lemon juice into a large bowl. Make sure the chicken is well coated, cover the bowl and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Now mix the garam masala, tumeric, cumin and yohurt and add to the chicken, again making sure that the chicken is well coated with the mixture. Cover and marinate for at least another 2-3 hours in the fridge although overnight is preferable.
When you’ve finished marinating the chicken, preheat the oven to 180C and after placing the chicken pieces on a grill rack, bake them for 8-10 mins.
Now remove the chicken from the oven and brush with a little oil and turn then over.
Put back into the over and bake for another 10-12 mins or until the the chicken is just cooked through.

Butter Chicken Recipe – Sauce Preparation

Heat the ghee/butter in a large frying pan and once it’s hot, add the crushed garlic and ginger and fry for 1-2 minutes only
Now add the chilli powder, cardamom, garam masala, cloves, coriander and turmeric and stir well frying for another 1-2 minutes
Then stir in the tomato puree with the lemon juice and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
Add the already cooked chicken pieces and the butter and stir gently until the butter has melted and the sauce becomes smooth.
Add more seasoning if neccesary and when ready serve and garnish with chopped corriander

Preparation time: 30mins, but don’t forget about all the marinating!

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

If you’ve taken the time to make this scrummy Butter Chicken recipe, then why not rate it and let everyone know what you thought?

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Fiery Chicken Vindaloo Recipe – Can You Eat It?

David — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:46:11 +0000

Madras not hot enough for you? Then why not try this fiery Chicken Vindaloo Recipe?

Chicken Vindaloo Recipe

This recipe happens to be my favourite “from scratch” Chicken Vindaloo Recipe that I stumbled upon in an old recipe book that was loaned to my wife by a friend some time ago. In fact I cannot remember whose (if anyone in particular) this recipe started life as, but over time, I’ve fiddled and changed a few ingredients and quantities and come up with what I think is the hottest and best Chicken Vindaloo Recipe.

Fiery Vindaloo

Chicken Vindaloo Origins

The Vindaloo itself, originated in the Indian region of Goa and it is derived from a Portuguese dish known as “Vinha De Alhos” which translates as “wine and garlic”. The Portuguese dish was effectively a wine and garlic based stew which was typically made with Pork and served around Christmas time. However, after the dish was introduced to India, it changed rapidly to what we now know as the Vindaloo with the introduction of chillies and different Goan spices.

A Chicken Vindaloo isn’t generally that popular in India, other than in Goa, but the dish has become very popular here in the UK, the Middle East, the US and Canada and also Australia and New Zealand, where it is pretty much universally included on Indian restaurant and take away menus.

It also seems to taste much nicer if eaten a day or two after preparation as this allows more time for the flavours to be absorbed by the meat and although some of the flavours and spices can be used in different quantities to vary the dish according to taste, one thing to remember is not to reduce or change the amount of vinegar as a Vindaloo get its excellent flavour only as a result of the vinegar in the recipe.

Typically the Goans use pork with a traditional Vindaloo, but it can be prepared with beef, chicken, seafood and also vegetables such as potatoes, peas and other root vegetables etc. Here I’ve decided to use chicken.

Chicken Vindaloo Ingredients:

Vindaloo Paste

1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 or 2 tsp Garam Masala
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (you can add more cinnamon, but if can be over-powering, so be careful!)
2 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2cm cube of peeled ginger
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar

Vindaloo Base

150ml vegetable oil
4-8 garlic cloves, crushed or blended
3 red onions, sliced finely or preferably blended

Other Ingredients

4+ red chillies, chopped finely. This is what gives the heat, so you can use less if you like and also de-seed before chopping if you want to make a milder vindaloo (but why?)
4 skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
500g good quality chopped tomatoes or chopped tinned tomatoes
1-2 tbsp of tomato purée to taste
1-4 tsp Hot Chilli Powder to taste – This is optional and if you do want to make it hotter, I’d suggest adding a bit at a time
Salt and pepper to taste

Chicken Vindaloo Recipe – The Method

Chicken Vindaloo Preperation

Grate or slice the ginger finely and add the cumin, cinnamon, mustard, coriander turmeric, garam masala and cayenne pepper into a bowl and add the vinegar and sugar and mix thoroughly.
Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the garlic and the onion and cook over a medium heat until they have softened for approx 5-7 mins, but take care not to let them burn or brown too much.
Once the onion and garlic have softened, add the chicken pieces and cook for approx 2-3 minutes until the chicken starts to colour.
Now add the chillies, tomatoes, tomato purée, and begin to stir in the pre-prepared Vindaloo paste.
Add salt and pepper to taste, and bring to the boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer whilst stirring occasionally for approx 1 hour. during this period, it’s important not to let the chicken vindaloo dry out, so add a 1/2 cup of water as necessary. If you do want to make it hotter than the recipe, then during the simmering time is the right time to gradually add the chilli powder to taste.

If you wanted to be traditional, you would ideally serve this Chicken Vindaloo with pilau rice, chapattis, or Naan bread – I especially like some of the Garlic and Coriander Naan’s that are available from most supermarkets, although if you were a bit more adventurous, you could try to make your own.

If you’ve tried my Chicken Vindaloo Recipe, I’d be glad to hear your feedback or even your own changes or ideas to make my recipe better!

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Chicken Tikka Masala – Is it worthy?

David — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 20:04:48 +0000

Chicken Tikka Masala is the UK’s favourite curry, but is it worthy of such an accolade?

Each weekend, literally thousands of people up and down the country would say it is, which is why they cook it at home, or order it from their local restaurant or takeaway, but does this pretender deserve so much kudos?

Some would say that it isn’t a real curry especially when you bear in mind it’s somewhat disputed originsand admittedly, I have been somewhat snobbish about the humble Chicken Tikka Masala in the past, but it seems to me that there are more and more “versions” of this popular curry being introduced with slight twists or interesting differences.

Chicken Tikka Masala - Should this be our favourite?

That being the case, I think we are probably now at the time where we curry-snobs should start to take the humble CTM (as I’ve noticed some restaurants like to call it) a bit more seriously and of late I’ve been experimenting with various different flavours and styles of Chicken Tikka Masala in my hunt for the best Chicken Tikka Masala recipe, in much the same way as I did with the Currytastic Chicken Madras recipe.

So, over the coming weeks I will be trying different Chicken Tikka Masala recipes, as well as some different restaurant and take away versions and will report back with my findings – I hope you all appreciate the lengths I go to for you, my readers and the love of my art

In the mean time, if you have any Chicken Tikka Masala recipes you’d like to tell us about or even if you’d like to try your hand at writing a mini-review for a local restaurant or take away, then get in touch using the comments link at the bottom of this post.

Is this the BEST Chicken Madras Recipe Ever?

David — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:08:30 +0000

Here at Currytastic, we love all curries – even really mild ones such as a Korma, but one of our favourite curries is a spicy Chicken Madras Curry nom nom.

Chicken Madras Hmmmmm nom nom

The Madras curry originates from what was the Madras region in the south east of India and it’s a spicy curry that can be made with chicken, pork, beef and even mince beef or lamb as a Keema Madras. If you’re not a meat lover then you can also enjoy a Vegetable Madras which can be made using carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, turnip or swede etc cubed into 2cm chunks.

The ingredients of a traditional Indian Madras recipe will change depending on what ingredients are available locally and also by the traditions of the chef or cook, so you will find lots of variety with this particular curry, but typically a madras curry has a reddish colour which comes from the red chillies and turmeric and a slightly sweet and sour taste that comes from the tomato and lemon, lime or vinegar.

Good old Gordon

Anyway, this Chicken Madras Recipe is based on a Gordon Ramsey recipe which has been adapted slightly for a spicier palette and the ingredient quantities as listed are enough to make 4 portions.

Chicken Madras Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, one per person!
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
2cm block of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped – Depends how much garlic you like. Personally I don’t like it to be over-powering
Sea salt and black pepper
400g ripe tomatoes, chopped
300ml water
1 tsp garam masala
Coriander leaves, to garnish

The following spices can be varied to your own personal taste, but if this is your first time with this recipe, then I’d suggest the following:

2–4 red chillies, finely chopped – You can de-seed if you prefer, but this will make it not as spicy
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
1–3 tsp (or more!) hot chilli powder, to taste – Adding more or less will vary the hotness
6–8 curry leaves
Juice of half a lemon or lime (you can use vinegar here instead, but not both)

Preparing the Chicken Madras Curry

Cut the chicken into strips or cubes and put aside. Heat the oil and add the onions and cook until they start to soften which will be about 5 or 6 mins. Once the onions have started to brown add the chillies, the garlic and the ginger and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Then add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, curry leaves and chilli powder and leave to cook for a further minute or so.

In that time, season the chicken you set aside earlier with the salt and pepper and add to the pan and cook stirring the pan until the chicken begins to go golden brown all over.

At this stage you’ll want to add the water and the chopped tomatoes and then bring to boil. Once the pan is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pan stirring ever so often. Let it simmer for about 30 minutes and add more water as needed if it begins to stick or the sauce becomes too dry – remember to stir well if you do need to add water. At the end of the 30 mins, stir in the garam masala and leave uncovered for another 10 mins, again taking care not to let it dry out.

When the cooking’s finished and you’re ready to serve the chicken madras, garnish it with some coriander leaves (not the stalk!) and I usually have it with rice or a Garlic and Coriander Naan bread, although it’s equally as good with chips(!), a jacket potato or even and this is controversial…in a large Yorkshire Pudding!

Chicken Madras not hot enough? Try my Chicken Vindaloo Receipe…

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Pizza Hut Spicy Beef Pizza

David — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:59:41 +0000

What's left when the spice has gone?

Pizza Hut spicy beef pizza topping. Hmmm, nom nom nom.

I do like Pizza Hut pizzas, but is it me or has anyone else noticed that spicy beef isn’t actually in any way spicy other than they may have added some salt and pepper? That being the case, should it not be called Seasoned Beef instead?

Yes, I’m aware this appears to be in no way curry related, but stay with me. Curries are typically spicy and Pizza Hut are claiming their spicy beef topping is spicy. Can you see where I’m going?

The fact that their spicy beef topping isn’t actually spicy (or probably beef for that matter) doesn’t seem to stop them from calling it so.

Perhaps at one time long ago when the spicy beef topping was invented in some laboratory by a white coated scientist type mixing chemicals in a vial, it was then spicy, but as time has gone on and the British palate has become more used to spicy foods, it no longer cuts the mustard in the spicy beef based food product stakes.

Call me controversial, but if you are looking for a spicefest I know what I’d rather have – Yep, you guessed it, I’d recommend a curry. Probably a madras of some sort. Or if you were really brave you could for a vindaloo…

That is unless of course you really fancy pizza for a change…

Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala Gets Top marks for take away at Ripponden’s Cinnamon Lounge

David — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:35:05 +0000

Chicken Tikka Masala is apparently the UK’s favourite curry. That’s as maybe, but it’s not one of mine. I prefer the Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala as served by the excellent Cinnamon Lounge in Ripponden. Notice the difference? You will when you eat it!

Chicken Tikka Masala - It's a bit red isn't it

Apparently the C hiken Tikka Massala was invented in Glasgow by an industrious chef who, when asked for some sauce by a customer who’d ordered Chicken Tikka without knowing what it was, mixed some spices together with a can of Heinz Tomato Soup.

So what is Chicken Tikka Masala (or “CTM” as it is sometimes known)?

It is basically chucks of Chicken Tikka marinated in yoghurt in a spicey tomato masala sauce. Masala pretty much means a “mixture of spices”, so there are many many different versions of this classic curry, some of which are great, but in my experience they are usually at best average.

The other issue is that we curry snobs in the know say its not a proper curry etc etc. And we are of course correct, it isn’t a proper curry.

It is the devil’s own spume of spew and bile and was solely invented to pacify drunk jocks

Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala Yum Yum, Its Curry-tastic

(Just a little tip, I wouldn’t search for the that term on Google images unless you are a man who prefers the company of a man…)

But I’m glad to say that even the most anal curry snob such as myself would agree that’s not case with the Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala at Ripponden’s Cinnamon Lounge.

I first tried the Cinnamon Lounge’s Chicken Tikka Chilla Masala over Christmas when we went there with some friends. I saw it on the menu and was tempted by the chillis, but was put off by the Tikka Masala element. Anyway, one of our party ordered it and we all had a try and I have to say it was fantastic – I normally like curries slightly hotter and the Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala certainly was that….

Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala Extreme Close Up - Can you feel the heat?

Last weekend Mrs Currytastic and I decided to have a take out and opted for the Chilli Masala from the Cinnamon Lounge and I’ve got to say I’m glad we did. Rich, full of flavour and spicey enough for the very spicey people I wasn’t at all disappointed.

Chicken Tikka Chilli Masala Currytastic Official Score: 4.0 out of 5 – That’s Currytastic!

Curry Vs Burger King?

David — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:58:08 +0000

Sitting here trying to digest the XL Bacon Double Cheese Burger I had for lunch from the local Burger King in Halifax I have to tell you that curry wins hands down.

Ohhh my poorly stomach - a curry would have been better

I don’t honestly remember a time when I’ve eaten anything as poor quality and as tasteless as today’s XL Bacon Double Cheese Burger and paid more than £4 for the apparent pleasure.

In fact if I had a dog, he would most likely eat higher quality product out of a tin of Chappie and at least it wouldn’t be covered in heart attack causing plastic “no-cheese”.

To tell the truth, if I had a dog and it was a choice between a Burger King XL Bacon Double Cheese Burger, I’d give him curry every time, but probably a mildly spiced one with Chicken and some vegetables and rice to keep his diet balanced. Don’t worry – I’d make sure he stayed off the lager.

XL Bacon Double Cheese Burger Currytastic Official Score:

0.5 out of 5

Currytastic Chicken Madras Curry at the Caddy Shack, Elland!

David — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:39:03 +0000

Hmmmm Chicken Madras Curry. Does it get any better than a hot, spicy Chicken Madras? Well, it probably does, but not at Elland’s Caddy Shack!

Chicken Madras...nom nom

We’ve been frequenting the Caddy Shack for a number of years now and have outlasted previous owners. As a rule we attend most Friday lunch times to partake of it’s varying treats in our varying size of group – We have an entirely select lunch time club where membership is frequently revoked for non-attendance:-)

Some time ago, some of us started having curry with rice for lunch, which at the time was cooked (at least I think that’s how it began) by the Thai wife of the then owner.

Since then, Mandy has taken over the kitchen and as well as learning the Thai recipes, has developed her own curry related style and skills. In fact you might say she has become almost a curry ninja – although I’ve not as yet seen her lobbing throwing stars at any of the patrons…

Today, as a group we pretty much all had the chicken madras excluding Ginger Craig who had a pie – bear in mind that he is from Wakefield and pie is standard fare in that part of the world. Anyway, after requesting extra hotness when we placed the order, Mandy certainly delivered and by halfway through we were puffing and panting (not in a sexual way), as well as enduring the usual head sweat that comes with a fine madras.

As usual, the chicken madras was great although (for me personally because I’m a bit weird and don’t like chunks of tomato) there was far too many chunks of tomato in it! In any case I’m sure Some of our more eagle eyed (hands up if you remember!) visitors will have noticed the “wrap” supplied instead of a chapati and / or naan and purely because of this I have to deduct some marks…

Caddy Shack Chicken Madras Currytastic Official Score:

4.2 out of 5 – That’s Currytastic!