Where did this well known curry house dish arise?
Indian butter chicken curry is a popular favourite in British curry houses. Though generally I find it too watery when I’ve had it in a restaurant and just lacking in flair. Loads of thin not particularly tasty sauce with a few bits floating around. This version is massively better – next level gourmet & will really wow your guests. Sure it’s using a pre-prepared curry paste but as always it’s how you use it – you have to be creative.
What to use in this dish to keep authentic but tasty?
I used a Spice Taylor paste which is a high quality brand that is available in Waitrose, Sainsbury’s & other high quality outlets. You’ll need some good solid protein – quorn tenders work well, tofu, chikkin chunks or even tempeh chunks would all work. Though I think tofu or chikkin is probably closest to the original dish as created. To add interest you need some red onion, green or red pepper, courgette & maybe aubergine although that may be going too far. The main thing is some succulent items to contrast with the creamy thickish sauce: but not too thick! I think Oatly cream is the best cream to use in this dish but Alpro soya cream works too.
Putting it all together on the night!
It’s the usual thing: fry the onions & any garlic & ginger, then add the spices, tomatoes, tomato puree, and water. Meanwhile you can cook the tenders & or tofu whilst also doing the veggies. I find cooking a load of the above vegetables, then just using them straight form the fridge works well. Adding them towards the end slightly before the cream keeps it fresh tasting & not too mushy. Adjust the liquid content so it’s fairly runny but not watery and it will be fine.
Serving ideas and what to have with it.
I think if you have a lot of sauce, then naan bread can be a good idea. It soaks up the sauce, and you can wipe the last bit of sauce up with it. It works with wholemeal cous cous, but is better with long grain brown rice if you want extra carbs. It’s hard to buy wholemeal naan bread, but click link for details or brown basmatti rice is my personal preference. Though my children seem to prefer naan bread with the Indian butter chicken curry. Bizarrely hummus also goes well with this dish and of course mango chutney. Of course as it’s vegan no animals were harmed or exploited in creating this dish! Going out on a limb – I even like garlic bread with this – give it a try! And lastly – it would even work with garlicky spinach!
Other curries that are similar to this dish that you might like to try:
Indian style Tofu & Aubergine Curry; Chickpea & Cauliflower Madras Curry; Chickpea & Peanut Butter Curry; vegan korma curry: are some Indian style curries – but if you like them – this Thai Massaman Curry with tofu is actually quite similar.
Indian Butter Chicken Curry
Ingredients
Method
- Fry off the finely sliced onions a little coconut oil.
- adding in the blitzed or crushed garlic & blitzed ginger as soon as they're ready.
- while they're nicely softening you can saute the pepper & courgette mix in a separate skillet or use an actifry. You don't want to add it to the main pan or they will over cook. You may need to add a little water.
- Also begin air frying or oven cooking the chikin tenders so they are reay to add towards the end. I found airfrying worked well.
- When the onions are translucent, you can add the extra spices and chilli from the Spice Taylor spice pack and give it a minute or so. Adding the tomatoes and puree at this point helps stop it sticking you can then add the main spice pouch and mix in well with the heat on low so it doesn't burn or stick.
- At some point near the beggining put the brown rice on to cook. I would always stick to Basmati brown rice and this takes 25 minutes so do it near the beginning but not right at the start or the rice will be ready too soon. So, if you've got everying else coming along nicely, you could put the brown rice on now - as it takes at least 25 minutes to cook properly. Use 50g per person and use double the volume of rice as water. I weigh the water into the kettle, and add it boiling - it's quicker that way.
- ou can add the vegan butter and coconut oil - right now plus some of the water to make sure it doesn't stick.
- Straight after around 10 minutes from the end add the pre-cooked veggies to just finish off softening. If you use a timer for the rice - you can use it to decided when to add the next bits.
- When the rice is 9 minutes off fully cooked add in the already cooked chikin tenders or tofu
- Then add the cream shortly after. Stir well and make sure it's the right consistency - not too thick but not to watery nice and smooth but mustn't be too thick. It will be a little sweet so you can add a little lemon juice if you like - 10 to 20g - just to add a little sharpness for balance.
- stir carefully but well and add any extra cream or water you feel is necessary to get a very smooth velvety texture. Taste the sauce! Adjust if necessary! this is where you need to make sure the sauce is just the right thickness. Definitely not too thick - but not really runny either. It wants to be just on the thick side of runny. It will thicken up on the plate as it cools, so just a little on the wetter side now and it will be perfect as you eat it. Also a good time to add the coconut cream.....
- The finished dish should be gorgeously creamy with a velvety sauce that coats all the veggies. Getting the texture just right is tricky, but it's better to be on the sliightly too runny side than pasty and over thick.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
