Dylan's Butter Chicken Curry Recipe

Dylan’s Butter Chicken Curry / Kathy Pitout Photography

“Aunty Sharmla, who works with my mom, one day explained the art of Indian cooking and introduced us to a world filled with delicious wonders. That’s when I realised there was an entire culinary world out there, just waiting to be explored. Since then, this recipe has become my go-to dish, and it’s now a family favourite.”

— Dylan Buys

Dylan’s Murgh Makhani (Eastern Inspired Butter Chicken) with Traditional Rotis

Makes 4 portions

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 Chicken Fillets (+/- 800 gram)

• 1 teaspoon cumin powder

• 1 teaspoon coriander powder

• 1 teaspoon garam masala

• ½ teaspoon cayan pepper

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 2 medium garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

• 1 Cup (250ml) Gourmet Greek plain yogurt

• 1 tablespoon Sunfoil Platinum oil

• 20g First Choice Salted butter

• 1 medium sized onion, chopped

• ¼ teaspoon jeera seeds

• ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds

• 4 dried curry leaves

• ½ cup All Gold tomato puree

• ¼ cup (62.5 ml) Knorrox chicken stock

• ½ can (200 ml) Liberty Select coconut cream

• ¼ cup (62.5 ml) Clover fresh cream

 METHOD:

1.  Cut the chicken fillets into cubes, about 3cm in diameter.

2. Place the chicken cubes in a glass bowl and mix in the dry ingredients. Add the garlic, ginger and yoghurt and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

3. Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy based pot over medium heat.

4. Fry the chopped onions, jeera seeds and mustard seeds until the onion is shiny and tender. Transfer into a separate bowl. 

5. Increase the heat and fry the marinated chicken in the same pot, until the chicken begins to brown. Reduce the heat.

6. Add the onion and jeera mix back to the chicken.

7. Add the curry leaves, tomato puree and chicken stock.

8. Cover the pot and simmer slowly for about 30 minutes.

9. Add the coconut cream and fresh cream 10 minutes before serving and leave on a simmer with the lid removed until the cream starts to thicken.

10. Serve with fresh coriander and homemade Rotis.

ROTIS

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups of Champagne Valley flour

• ¼ teaspoon Oryx Desert salt

• 1 cup of hot water (250 ml)

• 1 tablespoon of Sunfoil Platinum oil (15 ml)

METHOD:

1. In a medium sized glass bowl, make a well with the flour and salt, then add and incorporate the water and oil and then mix it together until the mixture pulls away from the edges of the bowl.

2. Place the dough on a worktop sprinkled with flour. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic (the dough will bounce back when poked with your finger) about 10 minutes. Add flour if needed.

3. Divide the dough into 12 equal parts and roll into balls. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 15 minutes.

4. Heat a non stick pan on medium heat.

5. Flatten the individual dough balls with the palm of your hand and use a cake roller to roll each ball into a flat circle.

6. TIP: I find that turning a side plate upside down on the rolled out roti dough will help to cut the perfect circle.

7. Place the roti in the preheated pan, turn after 1 minute and turn again after 1 minute.