Andrea's Indian Butter Chicken

This recipe (originally from a Foodtown recipe card circa 1994) remains a firm favourite in our family. It appears in “A Familial Palate” the family cookbook Cousin Rachel made to celebrate our grandmother’s 90th birthday. My note on this recipe in that book says “never cook this for an Indian - they will laugh”.

Ingredients

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you can make this with breast, but it’s much nicer with thigh). Cube.

1 onion finely chopped

50-75g butter

1 teaspoon each of tumeric, cinnamon, chilli powder, salt and ground ginger

1 cup cream

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Pinch of garam masala

Method

First things first remember to cook the rice to serve this on. With that in hand, melt the butter in a large pot or fry pan with a lid (you don’t need it yet, just be aware you need one). Fry onion until soft. Meanwhile assemble the teaspoons of spices and then coat the chopped chicken with these. Add the chicken to the pot/pan and fry until pretty much cooked. Stir the tomato paste into the cream and sprinkle the garam masala over the top. Add this to the pan/pot, put the lid on and simmer for ten minutes or until the rice is ready. If it’s a bit saucy take the lid offf and simmer for a few minutes. Serve on rice.

How do I still have the original recipe???