Butter chicken with aloo palak

Oct 2020 (Private) | Nov 2021 (Private)

Ingredients & Supplies

Supplies

Medium-to-large cooking pot
Large frying pan
Rice cooker

Ingredients

BUTTER CHICKEN OR PANEER

~2 lbs chicken breast or 1 block of paneer
6 tbsp butter
1 large yellow onion
14 oz. can of tomato sauce
Ginger root
Garlic bulb (at least 6 cloves)
Half & half or cream
Cilantro
1-3 Serrano pepper

ALOO PALAK (POTATOES & SPINACH)

Frozen chopped spinach
3 medium or small red potatoes

JEERA RICE (RICE WITH CUMIN)

Rice
Cumin seeds

Cook-along Steps

First, set out the frozen spinach.
Chop chicken thighs into bite-size pieces and into a large bowl.
Sprinkle the following into the bowl of chicken and mix well.
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp oil
Cover and set aside.
These will be split across the two dishes: butter chicken & aloo palak.
1. Dice 1 large onion
2. Peel & finely chop ~1 inch or 1 tbsp of ginger
3. Peel and mince about 6 cloves of garlic
4. Thinly slice the Serrano peppers
5. Peel and dice the potatoes
In a skillet, heat 2 tbsp of oil
Add in one large spoon of the diced onion (probably about 1/3 of the onion), and half of the minced garlic, and 1 tsp turmeric.
Sauté on medium heat. Once the garlic starts getting golden, add in the diced potatoes.
Mix, cover, and lower the heat.
Cumin rice
In another pot, melt 1 tbsp butter and add 1/4 tsp of cumin seed.
Once lightly toasted, add rice (~1/4 cup per person) and mix well for about 3 minutes,
Aloo palak
Add frozen spinach, mix in, and cook covered for 5 minutes.
Prep 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, and optionally, 1 tsp fennel powder. Add this seasoning mix into the pot, stir, and continue to cook uncovered for another 5 minutes.
Cumin Rice
Move the buttered rice to rice cooker, add water and start.
Butter curry sauce
In that same large pot, melt 2 tbsp of butter, and add the remaining diced onions, garlic, and ginger.
Cook on medium-high heat until caramelized & brown.
Butter chicken
Add 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 2 tsp garam masala, and Serrano peppers.
Stir well and let the spices fry.
Before the spices start to burn, pour in the can of tomato sauce, mix, lower heat, and cover!
Aloo palak
Turn your attention to the aloo palak now.
Add 1/2 cup of water to the aloo palak.
Stir and simmer for 5 min uncovered, and then take off heat.
Once the curry sauce thickens and darkens, pour it out into another bowl and set aside.
Add 2 tbsp of butter into the pot and the marinated chicken pieces.
Cook until chicken is golden brown.
Once the chicken is lightly browned, add the curry sauce into the cooking chicken, 2 tbsp of butter, and 1 cup of half & half or cream.
If you have kasuri methi, add in 2 tbsp and mix in.
Chop cilantro and mix in. Add salt to taste.
Cover and let sit for 5 min on medium-low heat.