Butter Chicken with Okra

Recently I discovered this recipe on Dani Venn's blog for Indian Butter Chicken. 

With its promise of authenticity, as the recipe was learnt in India I knew I had to try it.

The chicken is marinated with garlic, ginger, chilli and lemon juice for a couple of hours.

A paste is prepared by cooking cashews, water, milk and red onion and then pureed.

The sauce begins with cooking the whole spices, then adding fresh ripe tomatoes, water and ground spices.

I decided to add some okra to my curry, so I sliced it up and added to the sauce until tender.

I then picked out all the okra and whole spices (yes a little tedious!) and blended the sauce until smooth.

Meanwhile the marinade is drained off the chicken, and yoghurt, more ginger and garlic, and other spices added to coat the chicken.

Cook the chicken on the bbq to intensify the flavours (traditionally a tandoor is used).

The sauce goes back in the pan with some extra spices and combine some (or in my case all - it tasted so good) of the cashew puree.

The chicken and okra are then added to the sauce, along with salt, crushed fenugreek leaves and honey.

It was amazing.

The sauce tasted beautifully spiced, the okra was melt in your mouth tender, and the charred chicken was just perfect.

(There were plenty of jealous tastebuds whilst enjoying the leftovers at work the next day).

I will definitely be cooking this one again.