Classic butter chicken

SERVES 4

6 skinned, bone-in chicken

joints

FOR THE MARINADE 2½tbsp lemon juice 1 rounded tbsp salt

120g full-fat plain yogurt 4 large garlic cloves

1½-2tsp Kashmiri chilli

powder

1 rounded tsp ground cumin 1 rounded tsp garam masala 2tbsp vegetable oil

FOR THE BUTTER SAUCE 20g finely grated root ginger

(peeled weight)

8 large garlic cloves

2tbsp vegetable oil

80g unsalted butter, plus

more if needed

1 bay leaf

2 black cardamom pods 6 green cardamom pods

2cm cinnamon stick

4 cloves 600g vine tomatoes, blended

to a fine purée

3-4 small green chillies, stalks removed, pierced with a knife

1tsp sugar, or to taste

¼-½tsp chilli powder

1tsp paprika

2tsp dried fenugreek leaves,

finely crushed with fingers 1 rounded tsp garam masala 80-100ml single cream, to taste

1 Slash each chicken piece three times to the bone at the thickest parts of the flesh. Marinate in a bowl in half the lemon juice and half the salt for 30min. Blend together all the marinade ingredients until smooth. Coat the chicken with it and leave in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours but preferably overnight.

2 Remove 30min before cooking. Preheat the barbecue to a medium-high heat, or your oven grill to a fan-assisted high setting. Cook the chicken, turning often and moving around to prevent burning, until charrred and cooked through, about 18min.

3 Whizz the ginger and garlic in a blender using a little water to help the blades turn.

4 Heat the oil and half the butter in a large non-stick saucepan over a medium-high heat and add the whole spices. Once they’ve sizzled for 15 seconds, add the ginger and garlic paste and cook until all the moisture has evaporated and the garlic smells cooked and looks grainy. Add the tomatoes and cook down until the resulting paste releases oil, around 20min.

5 Brown this paste over a gentle heat, stirring often, until it darkens considerably, 6-8min. Add 250ml water, bring to the boil, then pass through a sieve, extracting as much liquid and flavour from the tomatoes and spices as you can. Discard the dry solids. Set the sauce aside.

6 Cut or peel large chunks off the chicken pieces and reserve with any juices.

7 Heat the remaining butter, throw in the green chillies and cook for 1min. Add the sauce, salt and a good splash of water and simmer for 3-4min. Add the chicken, with any juices, plus the sugar, chilli powder, paprika, fenugreek and garam masala.

8 Simmer, stirring often, for 3-4min, adding a little water if it’s too thick. It should be lightly creamy. Take off the heat and stir in the cream, then taste and adjust the salt, sugar, cream or butter to taste. Serve with naan.