Topic: Butter Chicken

[beachbum]

I've been to the Brisbane cooking classes described by Mark. He's actually setting up his own website but not sure if it's open to the public yet - Mark will advise.

Anyway as Mark says the secret is in the gravy which is more like a paste. Also the chicken needs to be precooked, and the dish is quickly assembled from the gravy and the chicken and is diluted to the desired consistency.

Aha, I've found Mark's original thread here: http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=8382.0Also I posted some photos on that thread, you can adapt that to making Australian Style butter chicken as well, I was doing a Madras a the time.

With a butter chicken I don't use blended cashew nuts, I use ground almonds which are easier and about the same price, Mark says the restaurants use either, or a combination, depending on what's available. Couple of heaped table spoons does the trick.

[SteveAUS]

Wow information overload!!! That was a good link bb - thanks. Ive been reading about using pre-cooked chicken. Is that par-boiled chicken or chicken browned in a fry pan? Ive used pre-cooked chicken a couple of times trying to get our local restaurants butter chicken down pat. Failed miserably. I made some chicken tikka and added that to the source. Gave a nice smokey flavour as mentioned in your link.
Cheers
Steve