5 makkhani recipes

Makkhani murghi (butter chicken) with tandoori-style chicken in a creamy tomato sauce with garam masala, ginger, roasted cumin, and fresh green chile. India's most beloved curry sauce.

Butter chicken with yogurt-marinated pieces baked then simmered in a saffron cream sauce with cardamom, cinnamon, and ground almonds. A rich, aromatic Indian classic.

Yogurt-marinated chicken baked golden, then simmered in a buttery saffron cream sauce with whole spices and ground almonds. Authentic Indian butter chicken from scratch.

Dal makhani or maa di dal, as it is popularly known in the punjab, with its smooth velvety texture and lovely flavour is a delicacy that is very much a dish of the punjab. Every punjabi restaurant, roadside eating place and food stall vendor makes the claim that this is a delicacy that they alone can make to perfection. This my own tested recipe dare i claim it as the best? dal makhani is traditionally cooked on a low flame overnight and allowed to thicken. Using a pressure cooker helps cook the dal in a jiffy. Serve hot with naans.

Butter in India is called makkhan. Clarified butter, instead of being called makkhan ghee, is called usli ghee (usli means "real" or "pure," which in this context refers to the real or original fat of the ancient Indians). Clarified butter or usli ghee is essentially French brown butter with the brown residue strained off. Usli ghee has a light caramel color and a heavenly aroma. Since there is no moisture present, it keeps well covered, at room temperature, for several months.