There's something about butter chicken. It's those smooth, rich and meltingly-tender lines. The sunset colours pooling across the plate. The way its sweet, creamy nature is pulled up by a hit of spice before it gets too cloying.
, no doubt about it. It's been that way since it was born (so the story goes) in a dhaba in Punjab in the 1920s. The owner Kundan Lal Gujral, and his cook Kundan Lal Jaggi came up with the recipe for butter chicken when a large group of refugees arrived in the restaurant. The pair didn't have enough to feed the masses, so they added a gravy using what they had on hand to make the dish stretch. In went tomatoes, butter and spices and butter chicken was born.
With bread
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Butter chicken hits the spot when the weather is hot or cold, or simply when it can't make up its mind. It can be frantically pulled together in mere minutes after rushing in the door. Or , beckoning hungry taste buds all day.
Whatever your mood, whatever your day, butter chicken likes you very much. We're pretty sure you're going to like it back.
Don't worry if you haven't got every single spice. Samira Nanda reckons it will still taste delicious. Source: Essence of India
This version may be heavy on the spices, but it's light on the work. Source: It's Suppertime / SBS Viceland
Nige Sithirasegaram's butter chicken is a good one to spice up, if that's your thing. Source: Monica Ramirez
Make The Chefs' Line winning butter chicken with mint yoghurt and pickled onions. Source: SBS supplied
Even when butter chicken contains no butter and no chicken, you're still in for a treat. Source: Adam Liaw
All plants, all comfort. Source: The Chefs' Line
Keep the spice rack handy when you're cooking this one: ginger, garlic, serrano pepper, garam masala, turmeric, ground coriander, cumin, chilli and cardamom all love coconut milk. Source: Mary's Kitchen Crush
Butter chicken on the barbecue might not be traditional, but this dish has all the essence and TLC of the traditional version. Source: Watts on the Grill
Butter chicken may have a long list of ingredients, but it all goes in at once. Simple, really. Source: China Squirrel
Life is good when you can take butter chicken on a picnic. Source: Richo's Bar Snacks
