Step 1 of 7
Whisk yogurt with half the ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri chili, turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala, lemon juice, and 1 tsp salt. Add chicken and coat. Marinate 4 hours minimum, ideally overnight.
Step 2 of 7
Heat oven to 250°C / 480°F. Spread marinated chicken on a foil-lined tray. Roast 15 minutes until charred at the edges. Or sear in batches in a screaming-hot pan with ghee.
Step 3 of 7
Meanwhile, blend the tomatoes with the soaked cashews to a smooth purée.
Step 4 of 7
In a heavy pan, melt half the butter over medium heat. Add the remaining ginger-garlic paste and the extra crushed garlic. Cook 60 seconds until raw smell goes.
Step 5 of 7
Pour in the tomato-cashew purée. Add 1 tsp salt, the sugar, and a splash of water. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the gravy darkens to a deep brick-red and the fat starts to separate at the edges.
Step 6 of 7
Add the charred chicken and any juices from the roasting tray. Pour in the cream and the remaining 1 tsp garam masala. Simmer 8 minutes.
Step 7 of 7
Off heat, crush the kasuri methi between your palms over the pan. Stir in the remaining butter cube by cube. Adjust salt.
Ingredients 16
the chicken
- 800 g boneless skinless chicken thigh, cut into 4 cm chunks
- 2 tbsp ghee (for charring the chicken)
the marinade
- 200 g full-fat Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp fresh ginger-garlic paste (equal parts)
- Half goes into the paste above; reserve 3 extra cloves for the gravy
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder (mild, vivid red)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp garam masala (for the marinade) + 1 tsp (for the gravy)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
the gravy
- 6 ripe Roma tomatoes, halved (or 1 × 400 g tin)
- 30 g raw cashews
- 100 g butter, divided
- 150 ml heavy cream
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed between palms
- 1 tsp sugar (to balance the tomatoes)
- Sea salt to taste