Cooking Therapy

One of my favorite meals to eat either at home or out is Butter Chicken. Punjabi Indian by origin, it is enjoyed the world over. For my recipe, I decided to pair the savory, spicy butter chicken with  sweet, sticky coconut rice. The combination makes for a delectable meal that make it enjoyable even the following few days, if there are any leftovers left.

Prep Time: 1.5 hours

Cook Time: 1.5 hours

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 large chicken breasts, cleaned and cubed

2 tablespoons garam masala

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 ½ tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon turmeric

Cilantro leaves

1 ½ cups of Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 stick of unsalted butter

1 yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves minced

3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

3 tablespoons of freshly shaved ginger

2 jalapeno, seeded and diced

2 tomatoes, diced

1 teaspoon tomato paste

½ cup of chicken stock

½ cup heavy cream

Salt

4 cups jasmine rice

3 cup water

2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Instructions:

For the chicken:

• In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, lemon juice, garam masala, cumin and turmeric and add the chicken. Refrigerate for an hour so the chicken can marinate
• In a semi-deep pan or Dutch oven, add the butter and oil and cook the onions until they become translucent
• Then add the garlic, ginger, and cook until the onions brown.
• Add the jalapeno, tomatoes, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt to taste. Cook until the jalapeno softens and the tomatoes become mushy
• Add the chicken with the marinade and the chicken stock to the pot and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat to a medium low setting and let it simmer for half an hour
• Add the tomato paste and cream and stir it in. Cook for another 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through
• Let simmer on a low heat while you prepare the rice
• *Tip* If it tastes too acidic due to the tomatoes, add some sugar, until it reaches desired taste and it is not too acidic

For the rice:

• Add the water, coconut milk, rice, and a pinch of kosher salt to a pot and bring to a boil.
• Once the water is boiling, lower the setting to a medium-low and let simmer. Cover the pot.
• Let cook for 15 minutes.
• Once rice is cooked through, let it sit, fluff it and shut the heat off.

Serving:

• Add the rice to a place and top off with the butter chicken. Garnish it with the cilantro leaves and enjoy.