Zero Butter/Oil Butter Chicken

Call it the ultimate contradiction, an oxymoron or even a paradox, the Zero Butter Butter Chicken is here to stay !! Yes, you read it right the first time. A butter chicken without the butter, oil or even the cream. Difficult to imagine. Yes, I grant that but not entirely inconceivable. The trick lies in replacing the bad fat with a small amount of good fat and replicating the creamy texture of the gravy minus the cream.

Of course I had my doubts about tinkering with this dish classic which is one of the most popular Chicken recipes. I made a mental list of all those who love Butter Chicken and imagined their reactions to a zero grease version. Thankfully I have a vivid imagination and I realized that it would not be an easy task to win their approval. It took me a few trial runs to perfect this recipe but I have now nailed the formula for a Zero butter butter chicken that has been embraced happily by my family.

The oil + butter + cream has been replaced with milk and some extra almonds ( I always put almonds in my gravy as they contain a generous amount of good fat ). Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 40 mins

Ingredients -

For the marinade -

• 500 gm Boneless chicken pieces
• 1/2 cup thick yogurt
• 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 10 almonds
• 2 nos green cardamon
• 3 nos cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 no bay leaf
• 2 dry red chilli
• 2 medium sized tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• salt 

For the gravy  -

• 4-5 crushed garlic flakes
• 1 large onion (roughly chopped)
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder (adjust as per taste)
• 1 1/3 cup skimmed milk
• 2 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves
• 1/5 tsp garam masala
• 1 1/2 tsp honey 
• 1 tsp kasuri methi
• salt to taste

Preparation: Rub salt and turmeric on the chicken pieces and keep aside for 10 mins.

Grind the whole spices, almonds (blanched and peeled) and tomatoes into a smooth paste. Add yogurt, ginger-garlic paste and blend for 5 secs.

Transfer the chicken pieces to a large bowl. Pour the paste into the bowl and mix well. Keep aside for 1-2 hours.

Cooking: Heat a non-stick wok. Add the chopped onions and crushed garlic .Fry for a few minutes on a low to medium till the onions start turning brown. Remove and keep aside till it cools down.

Grind into a smooth paste along with 2-3 tsp of milk.

Transfer this paste back to the wok and cook for a few minutes on a low flame.

Add the contents of the marination bowl. Stir fry for 10-12 mins or till the chicken starts to acquire a glaze. Add the milk and simmer for 8-9 mins.

Rub the kasuri methi between the palms and add to the wok. Also stir in the honey. Simmer for 5 mins.

Sprinkle garam masala and coriander leaves, and remove from the stove. Serve hot with steamed rice or Laccha paratha .

Patra Ni Macchi ( Navroz Collaboration with ADollopOfThat & DelishPotporri )

The Parsi New Year Navroz or Nowruz literally means a new day or new light ! Celebrated on the first day of the first month of the Shehenshai calendar, it almost always falls on March 21st according to the Gregorian calendar. And just like everyone else, Parsis celebrate the day with new clothes and some great food. Of course there is the mandatory visit to the Fire Temple and the laying of the festive table with various items that symbolize the Parsi way to life. A copy of the Gathas, a lit lamp that symbolizes fire, a bowl with live goldfish, sprouted wheat, silver coins, painted eggs, flowers and sweets along with seven food items are some of the things that one can expect to find in every Parsi home on this day. Each one of these things is supposed to hold some kind of significance in life.

For the rest of us, it can be just about the food. While it does sound cliched, almost everyone thinks that Parsis are synonymous with great food. Of course they are but that is not all. Parsis are actually a very intelligent breed with an added sense of humor ( did anyone say Cyrus Broacha ) and immense business acumen ( Tata, Godrej, Wadia and so on.....). For an ethnic group with a population that does not even breach 6 digits, they sure have a way of making themselves seen and heard !

Getting back to the food (thank God for that), there are some favorites that feature on the Navroz menu every year. Prawn Patio, Ravo, Mithu dahi, Sev, Patra ni Macchi, Sali Chicken, Faludah are some of delicacies that are simple and yet sure to make one drool.

And simplicity was what I was looking for when I zeroed in on the 'Patri Ni Macchi' which literally means fish wrapped in leaves. Yup, it is a Pomfret or Ravas smeared in simple spices and very little oil, wrapped up carefully in tender banana leaves and steamed till done. That's it. Simple, rite ? But wait the best part is yet to come ! As one unfolds the leaves, a tantalizing aroma starts tickling the nostrils and as if one cue, the mouth starts watering. The final blow to the senses comes when one takes a bite of the succulent flesh. It can only be described as 'heady'. Trust me, I am not going to be thinking about grilled or fried fish for a long time.

But save some of that drool for there is more delicious to be sampled. Check out  Parinaaz's  and Saswati's !

Read on for the recipe of 'Patra Ni Macchi' -

Preparation Time - 40 mins

Ingredients -

• 6 pieces of rawas (fillets)
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 1 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• 2 banana leaves

For the green chutney -

• 1 cup freshly grated coconut 
• 1-2 green chilis
• 1 cup coriander leaves (lightly packed)
• 1/2 cup mint leaves (lightly packed)
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 2 pinch cumin seeds
• 2 pinch sugar (optional)
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash the fish pieces and dry with a paper towel. Add 1 tsp lime juice and salt to taste. Mix and let it stand for 20 mins.

Take all the ingredients mentioned under 'green chutney' into a mixer jar. Make a smooth paste using as little water as possible. Mix the lime juice into this paste.

Wash the banana leaves and dry them. Remove the stiff middle spine and cut into decent sized squares for wrapping the fish.

Brush a little oil on each leaf. Place a teaspoon of the chutney in the center and a fillet over it. Heap the fish fillet with more of the green chutney till it is completely smeared with a thick layer.

Fold each leaf individually and tie it up with a string. Repeat the process for each fillet.

Cooking - Get a steamer ready . Place the parcels inside it and steam for 20 to 25  mins.

Transfer to the serving dish and remove the strings.

Serve with the banana leaves. (To be opened just before eating)

And before you set off to buy fish, just take a few minutes to go through these two delicious recipes !! Maybe it will save you another trip to the market ;)

Check out the delicious Mithu Dahi by Parinaaz on 'A Dollop Of That!'

and the luscious Lagan Nu Custard by Saswati on 'Delish Potpourri'.