I consider Butter Chicken comfort food because it reminds me of my days in London. I always had this with Basmati rice or a very good piece of naan bread. Complex and bold but quite easy to prepare. It's one of those dishes that require you to just plop everything in a bowl or in a pan. So here's how...
Always start with a very good spice paste. I always allow my spices to sweat in a pan before I add it into the yogurt for my marinade. You basically just have to combine your own combination of ginger, garam masala, pepper, coriander, cumin, turmeric, chilli, cloves, and fenugreek. Marinate your bite-sized chicken pieces in an air-tight glass bowl.
Then, in a hot pan with butter (do not add oil), saute a large piece of onion.
Add about the same amount of tomato paste and marinade and cook this for a minute or two. Add cream (or yogurt for a healthier option) and some water. Place the marinated chicken pieces, bring to a boil, and simmer gently until the pieces are tender. Season with salt, pepper, and just a little bit of sugar (a little goes a long way).
Here's my spice paste mixed with yogurt.
Add a dollop of cream or yogurt right before serving.
