I don’t actually love this recipe. It tastes “buttery” on a plate next to other dishes that don’t have dairy in them; but on its own it left me a little flat. It also ended up pretty tangy, even after I added at least a tablespoon of sugar. Maybe because I used Greek yogurt??
If you want to serve it over chicken, just marinate it first in a blend of salt, garlic, ginger, a little chili powder, and lemon juice. (If using bone-in pieces, remove the skin first so the meat gets the marinade). Then bake the chicken for about 20 minutes at 400°, so that it will be mostly but not completely done.
2 T ghee
1 onion, finely diced
1 cinnamon stick
2 serrano chiles (if you don’t want spicy, just leave this out)
4 big cloves garlic, finely minced
1 T ginger, finely minced
1/2 t fennel seeds
1/2 t cumin seeds
1/2 t mustard seeds
1 can diced tomatoes or tomato puree
1 c stock
1 T garam masala
2 t dried fenugreek leaves (don’t skip this!)
1 t chili powder
1 t paprika (not smoked paprika)
1 c yogurt
1/2 c cream
Optional: salt, sugar & lemon, to balance the flavors
Saute the onion, cinnamon stick and chilis 8-10 minutes in the ghee. Add garlic, ginger and all the seeds, another 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and stock, along with remaining spices. Simmer on low, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Remove the cinnamon stick and stick an immersion blender into the pot to smooth it all out a bit.
Add the dairy and partially cooked chicken (if that’s what you’re adding to this sauce), then simmer another 5-10 minutes to cook the chicken. Balance the flavors as needed with sugar and salt.