Butter Chicken Masala & Shahi Chana ( Traditional Punjabi Method )

( Lightly seasoned chicken dish enriched with butter and cream. An all - time favorite )

1 kg tandoori chicken
500 g tomatoes, chopped
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup ( 120 ml ) water
4 tablespoon ( 60 g ) cashew nuts
50 g butter
1/2 teaspoon ( 2 g ) chilli powder
3/4 teaspoon ( 4 g ) salt
1/2 teaspoon ( 2 g ) garam masala powder
1 teaspoon ( 5 g ) sugar
1/2 cup ( 120 ml ) cream or to taste

10 g coriander leaves, chopped
2 green chillies, chopped finely

Cook the tomatoes with bay leaves and water for five minutes. When cool, blend in a liquidizer. Sieve the mixture. Keep the puree aside.

Grind cashew nuts in a mixer to a fine powder.

Melt butter in a non stick pan and fry the cashew nut powder till golden color. Lower the heat, add tomato puree, chilli powder, salt, garam masala powder and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add tandoori chicken and cook for five more minutes. Garnish with cream, coriander leaves and green chillies. Serve with Naan.

200 g Kabuli chana ( white chickpeas )
1 1/2 tablespoon ( 22 g ) chana dal
5 flakes ( 10 g ) garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ( 5 g ) ajwain
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups water

20 ml oil
1 1/2 teaspoon ( 7 g ) ginger juliennes
1 teaspoon ( 5 g ) cumin ( jeera ) seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon ( 7 g ) amchur powder or 3 teaspoon ( 15 g ) anardana ( pomegranate seeds )
1 1/2 teaspoon ( 7 g ) chilli powder
1 1/2 teaspoon ( 7 g ) garam masala powder
1 1/2 teaspoon ( 7 g ) salt
3 green chillies , chopped
10 g coriander leaves, chopped

Soak chana for 6 - 8 hours or overnight. Put the chana with all thew remaining ingredients and 3 cups water in the pressure cooker and cook on a medium heat for 15 minutes after the first whistle.

Heat oil in a nonstick kadai. Add ginger juliennes and cumin seeds. Lower the heat and add amchur powder or anardana, chilli powder, garam masala powder and fry for a minute.

Then add the cooked chana along with the water in which it was boiled , cover with a lid, adjust salt and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or till done and gravy thickens. Garnished with green chillies and chopped coriander leaves. Serve with Puri / Batura...