If you are a big butter chicken fan this one is for you. This is knock-down, drag out, go for gold cooking.
Seriously. It’s what they are serving at the best Indian restaurants. This is not your average takeaway butter chicken.
And it’s easier to make. Doesn’t make sense. I know. But it’s true. This is better. And easier.
Crazy talk you say? Read on. Not that far out there. You’ll see.
Restaurants run with (at least) two base gravies
Surprised? Something you don’t hear about much? Turns out good restaurants have a different gravy for butter chicken.
Maybe that’s one of the last Indian restaurant “secrets” out there. I don’t know. Probably not. I just asked and they told me. So not really a secret.
What I do know is the better Indian restaurants run with two base gravies. The best run with more. But it’s at least two.
There’s an onion based gravy. Backbone of a lot of curries. It can be restaurant style or hotel style. But there has to be onions.
And then there’s a makhani gravy . Or red gravy. That’s what they use for butter chicken. Specialized.
If you’ve ever wondered why your butter chicken doesn’t taste quite like it does at posh Indian restaurants, makhani gravy is what you’re missing.
There are no onions in butter chicken
Unsecret number 2. There are no onions in butter chicken. High-end versions anyway.
Now you are certain I am crazy. “No onions? That cannot be. Ridiculous. This blog is run by a lunatic”. I going to stop now. I’m hurting my feelings.
It’s counter-intuitive. I know. Onions are the foundation of a lot of Indian dishes. But not all of them. This is an example.
It shouldn’t really be a surprise. India is a huge country. A foodie country. With a long history of regional cooking. There are literally thousands of dishes. Tens of thousands.
Which leads me into my favourite rant. Indian food is popular around the world. But somehow it’s still a formula. The same 15 dishes. At every restaurant. Over and over. Boring.
I get that people might not be ready for Bengali fish head stew (your loss btw). But there are a lot of more approachable dishes.
But somehow the same dishes are good enough. For everyone. A few variations maybe. But when was the last time you went to a restaurant that didn’t serve a vindaloo? Or a butter chicken? Why do we put up with this?
If you see the irony in what I’ve just said, know that I am laughing at myself. Can’t get too serious.
Especially when you are preaching. And writing about the single most overdone restaurant dish in the world. In the same blog post. But I feel good about it because at least it’s crazy good.
In my defence I do push South Indian pretty hard on glebekitchen. And I slide in as much Bengali cooking as I can. Maybe not the fish head stew. But I’m trying…
Cashews for the win
Cashews add a richness that butter and cream can’t match. There’s serious lushness factor working here. Lushness. Like that is even a word…
It might push the cost of this butter chicken out of the reach of a lot of restaurants. Cashews are not cheap. But if you like butter chicken and have a dollar or two to spare it makes a difference.
Sucks to be me though. I am allergic to cashews. I tested this recipe using cashews. Wasn’t pleasant. But I did it. My wife loves it. I just took little tastes of sauce along the way.
I know the cashew version is better. But I won’t ever get to enjoy it. You can though. And I think you should. I don’t mind. I’ve come to grips with my allergy.
And I’m going to do a macadamia nut version anyway. For everyone that is allergic to cashews. All seven of us. We’ll be so set.
Scale this recipe easily
The nice thing about hotel style is it scales. Easily. You don’t have to worry about frying curry base like you do in restaurant style.
Make it for two like in the recipe below. Or use the servings slider to adjust. It just works. 2 people or 6 people for dinner? No problem. I have no control over how high that slider goes though. So use a bit of common sense.
Less mess. Easy scale. More flavour. Hotel style brings it all.
Hotel style butter chicken
I didn’t invent hotel style. This is my version. Has a little more bite maybe. But it’s been around forever. And it’s closer to you than you might think.
The Ruby Murray at Dishoom is hotel style. They don’t call it hotel style in the book. But it is absolutely hotel style.
See? Posh Indian restaurant. Hotel style. No onions in their version either if you’re wondering.
That’s an amazing cookbook by the way. Seriously. If you want something a little different it’s worth every penny.
Forget what you think you know about butter chicken. Take a leap of faith. Pretty sure you will surprise yourself. In a good way.
hotel style butter chicken
Ingredients
quick chicken tikka
- 3 chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- 2 tbsp tandoori masala – avoid brands that are high in salt
- 1 tsp kasoor methi
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
butter chicken
- 2 tbsp neutral oil e.g. vegetable
- 2 tsp garlic ginger paste
- 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder leave it out if you want really mild.
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp kasoor methi
- 1 cup makhani gravy – with cashews. Recipe link below.
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp honey to taste
- cream to drizzle
Instructions
quick chicken curry
- Make sure you’ve made your makhani gravy before you start. Combine the tandoori masala, kasoor methi, salt and oil in a bowl large enough to hold all the chicken.
- Add the chicken and combine with the marinade. Use tongs. This stuff will stain your hands and you will not be happy at all.
- Marinate for about an hour. Pre-heat your oven to 400F while this is going on. Use convection mode if you have it. I hear an air fryer is good for this as well. Place a sturdy baking sheet in the oven to pre-heat.
- Transfer the chicken (remember your tongs) to the pre-heated baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook for about 6 minutes. Flip all the pieces and return to the oven. Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160-165F. This should take another 4-8 minutes or so. Really depends on how big your chicken thigh pieces are.
- Set the chicken aside. Try not to snack too much. I didn’t include extra chicken tikka this time.
butter chicken
- Pre-heat a pan large enough to hold all the ingredients over medium low heat.
- Add 2 tbsp oil.
- When it starts to shimmer add the garlic ginger paste. Stir continously until it stops sputtering. This should take about 30 seconds. You don’t want it to colour up too much. Be careful.
- Add the kasoor methi, salt and kashmiri chili powder (if using). This recipe is on the mild end of medium spice so if you like a little warmth leave it in. It makes a difference. It also makes a difference to the colour of the final dish.
- Stir to combine and let bubble for about 45 seconds. Watch your pan. You don’t want the spices to stick or burn at this stage.
- Add the makhani gravy. Stir to combine and bring to a lively simmer. Simmer about a minute.
- Add the honey and stir to combine.
- Add the chicken. Continue to simmer until the chicken is warmed through – about a minute assuming it’s not coming from the fridge.
- Stir in the butter and cream. Adjust the consistency with a little water or chicken stock (bouillon cubes are mostly salt not stock so don’t use that) at this point to get it to a nice restaurant texture. I can’t really tell you exactly how much because it depends on how hard your simmer was as well as your exact timing. I use about 3-4 Tbsp. Sometimes a bit more.
- Butter chicken is nice with a drizzle of cream. It makes it look a bit more special but it’s not necessary – just fun!
- Enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
hotel style butter chicken
Ingredients
quick chicken tikka
- 3 chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- 2 tbsp tandoori masala - avoid brands that are high in salt
- 1 tsp kasoor methi
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
butter chicken
- 2 tbsp neutral oil e.g. vegetable
- 2 tsp garlic ginger paste
- 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder leave it out if you want really mild.
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp kasoor methi
- 1 cup makhani gravy - with cashews. Recipe link below.
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp honey to taste
- cream to drizzle
Instructions
quick chicken curry
- Make sure you’ve made your makhani gravy before you start. Combine the tandoori masala, kasoor methi, salt and oil in a bowl large enough to hold all the chicken.
- Add the chicken and combine with the marinade. Use tongs. This stuff will stain your hands and you will not be happy at all.
- Marinate for about an hour. Pre-heat your oven to 400F while this is going on. Use convection mode if you have it. I hear an air fryer is good for this as well. Place a sturdy baking sheet in the oven to pre-heat.
- Transfer the chicken (remember your tongs) to the pre-heated baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook for about 6 minutes. Flip all the pieces and return to the oven. Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160-165F. This should take another 4-8 minutes or so. Really depends on how big your chicken thigh pieces are.
- Set the chicken aside. Try not to snack too much. I didn’t include extra chicken tikka this time.
butter chicken
- Pre-heat a pan large enough to hold all the ingredients over medium low heat.
- Add 2 tbsp oil.
- When it starts to shimmer add the garlic ginger paste. Stir continously until it stops sputtering. This should take about 30 seconds. You don’t want it to colour up too much. Be careful.
- Add the kasoor methi, salt and kashmiri chili powder (if using). This recipe is on the mild end of medium spice so if you like a little warmth leave it in. It makes a difference. It also makes a difference to the colour of the final dish.
- Stir to combine and let bubble for about 45 seconds. Watch your pan. You don’t want the spices to stick or burn at this stage.
- Add the makhani gravy. Stir to combine and bring to a lively simmer. Simmer about a minute.
- Add the honey and stir to combine.
- Add the chicken. Continue to simmer until the chicken is warmed through - about a minute assuming it’s not coming from the fridge.
- Stir in the butter and cream. Adjust the consistency with a little water or chicken stock (bouillon cubes are mostly salt not stock so don’t use that) at this point to get it to a nice restaurant texture. I can’t really tell you exactly how much because it depends on how hard your simmer was as well as your exact timing. I use about 3-4 Tbsp. Sometimes a bit more.
- Butter chicken is nice with a drizzle of cream. It makes it look a bit more special but it’s not necessary - just fun!
- Enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Lamb bhuna curry. Thick. Rich. Lush. Hotel style. There is a lot of flavour going on here.
This is a classic restaurant curry. But one that’s getting upscaled. In a big way.
Hotel gravy. Tomato masala. And lamb. It’s hard to go wrong with lamb when it comes to making curries.
Bhuna is no exception. Lamb just adds some wow. It always adds some wow. If you want a chicken version check out the notes. Poultry does work as well.
What is lamb bhuna?
That’s a question I don’t actually have the answer to. As far as I can tell there’s no such thing as lamb bhuna.
Google it. It’s a thick curry. With tomato. And spices. See what I mean? That description fits a lot of curries. Not particularly helpful.
Technically I think it’s supposed to be a dry curry. Fried spices and meat left to stew in their own juices. That sounds amazing to me. But doesn’t line up with what you get in restaurants.
So I have my own definition. Onion. Tomato. A spice flavour profile that’s bold but not way out there. Deep flavours.
Green chilies and onions. A little bit sweet. A little bit tart. And lamb for the richness that only lamb can bring.
That’s my lamb bhuna. Done hotel style. Call the curry police if you have to. But I’m going with it.
A tale of two gravies
This is the first of the dual gravy recipes. Told you it was coming. The right tool for the job. And more than one tool when needed.
The backbone is hotel gravy . That’s where the deep flavour comes from. If you haven’t checked out hotel gravy it’s definitely worth a look. Game changer I think.
And for the tomato I’m using makhani gravy . Sort of. It’s makhani gravy without the butter and cream. Cashews optional. So technically not makhani gravy. More of a tomato masala.
Same recipe though. Just don’t add the cream and butter at the end when you make the gravy.
That’s what I do when I make “makhani” gravy. Take it to the point right before the dairy goes in. Add the butter and cream when I need it. That way it’s two gravies in one.
See what I mean? The right tool for the job.
Cashews are optional because I’m allergic. So I can’t use them. Well, I guess I can but it’s really, really unpleasant. So I don’t.
The hotel butter chicken rocks without cashews. And so does this lamb bhuna.
You could use passata instead I suppose. Wouldn’t be quite as good though. And the makhani gravy is really easy to make. And fast. So I always go for it.
The secret is in the prep
This is high end restaurant cooking. And it takes real prep. Don’t think you can start this recipe an hour before dinnertime.
Four hours before maybe. If you’re organized. And you’re comfortable running things in parallel.
Hotel gravy is probably at least an hour. And you have to pay attention. This isn’t like regular curry base. You need to brown the onions to get the flavour. No walking away while that’s going on.
Makhani gravy is easier. Toss some stuff in a pot and simmer. Puree. Done. But it takes time.
Pre-cooking the lamb is easy. But lamb is tender when it’s tender. There’s no rushing it.
So that’s three pots going at once. If you are super organized maybe you could pull it off in around 2 1/2 hours. Plus clean up.
Think like a restaurant – it will save your sanity
You could try to kill yourself and do it in one day. It is doable if you are determined.
Or you could take a more restaurant approach. Restaurants do their prep during the day. So everything is ready at service. And then cook to order.
That’s sort of how I do it. Except I don’t do it all in one day. Make the hotel gravy one day. The recipe makes enough for 8 curries. Freeze it in one cup portions. So it’s ready when you need it.
Make the makhani gravy another day. Or even the day you make this lamb bhuna. Freeze it in half cup portions.
Batch cook lamb. Portion it out and freeze it too. If you want to do this you really need a vacuum packer. Freezer burn awaits those that don’t remove all the air. Or you can cook it the day you serve. Up to you.
Do your prep. That way you can make lamb bhuna on a Tuesday night. For real.
Lamb bhuna hotel style
This is serious cooking. But you get a serious lamb bhuna at the end. It’s real work. And it’s totally worth it.
Hotel style. For when you want what they are serving at the best Indian restaurants.
Lamb bhuna – Indian hotel style
Ingredients
Pre-cook your lamb
- 12 oz lamb I like shoulder best. Cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces.
- 1 tsp curry powder or mix powder if you prefer
- 1 tsp kosher salt – you want fairly salty to season the lamb. You will be discarding the cooking liquid. Most of it anyway.
- 1 cup chicken stock – enough to cover
The spice mix
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder – you can get this at your Indian grocer
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tsp kasoor methi – dried fenugreek leaves
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
lamb bhuna
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil – any neutral oil is fine.
- 1/2 onion – coarsely chopped
- 2 green chilies – jwala chilies, seeded and diced.
- 2 tbsp cilantro stems and leaves – finely diced
- 1 tbsp garlic ginger paste – recipe link below
- the spice mix from above
- 1 cup Indian hotel curry gravy – recipe link below
- 1/2 cup makhani gravy – recipe link below. Without the butter or cream. I use the cashew free version.
- the pre-cooked lamb
- 1/2 tsp tamarind paste – or tamarind pulp if you make it yourself.
- 1/2 tsp jaggery or brown sugar
- 3-4 cherry tomatoes halved
Instructions
Do your prep
- Pre-cook the lamb.
- Make your spice mix. Chop your green chilies and onion. Mince the cilantro.
Pre-cook the lamb
- Add the lamb, curry powder, salt and chicken stock to a saucepan. You want enough stock to fully cover the lamb. 1 cup is a guess. I don’t know how big your sauce pan is. Try to pick one that isn’t way too big.
- Bring to a simmer. Cover. Cook until the lamb is tender. Keep an eye on the liquid level. You want the lamb submerged the whole time. This should take somewhere around an hour for lamb shoulder. Depends on how big your lamb chunks are. Also depends on the lamb. You are making stew. It’s done when it’s done I’m afraid.
- Drain. Set the lamb aside. You can do this the day before if you’d like. You can also use this stock to dilute your final curry if you like. No sense wasting flavour. It’s pretty salty though so you need to roll back on the salt in the spice mix and season to taste at the end. Maybe drop the salt to 1/3 tsp and tweak if needed.
Make the lamb bhuna
- Heat the oil in a medium sized frying pan until the oil just starts to shimmer.
- Add the chopped onion. Cook until it just starts to colour up.
- Mix in the cilantro and green chilies. Cook for another 30 seconds or so.
- Stir in the garlic ginger paste. Gently fry until the garlic ginger paste stops sputtering. This is the only messy step.
- Turn your heat down to medium low and add your spice mix. You want to fry the spices in the oil. This is why it’s important not to skimp on the oil. The oil helps keep the spices from sticking and burning (really bad). You are also making spiced oil here and that spiced oil will carry flavour into every bite (really good).
- Add the Indian hotel and makhani curry gravy. Stir it really well to get the oil to combine with the curry gravy. You want everything mixed together at this point. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the tamarind paste, the sugar and the lamb.
- Cover loosely and cook for about 5 minutes.
- If the sauce looks a little too thick for your taste at this point (technically this is supposed to be a thick curry) add enough water or some of the leftover lamb stock. If you use the lamb stock remember to watch your salt levels. Bring back to a gentle simmer. Cook for another two or three minutes. You want that lamb flavour to infuse the sauce.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they are just warmed through.
- Serve with rice or Indian flatbread. I like a tarka dal or chana masala on the side. But I always like a tarka dal or a chana masala on the side so I am hopelessly biased here.
