Recipe #272: Chicken Makhani

This goes with #271, perfectly!  This is from food.com, with my changes in red.  Crazy delicious!!!  I bet the house will still smell this good tomorrow morning... hearty, a little spicy, fun to make.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 white onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste (I couldn't find this, so I used 1/2tbs powdered ginger and 1/2tbs garlic powder)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup tomato puree
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.

Saute shallot and onion until soft and translucent.

Stir in butter, lemon juice, ginger garlic paste, 1 teaspoon garam masala, chili powder, cumin and bay leaf.

Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in half-and-half and yogurt.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Season with salt, pepper and cayenne.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.

Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Reduce heat and season with 1 teaspoon garam masala and cayenne.

Stir in about 1/3 of the sauce and simmer until liquid has reduced and chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

Pour the rest of the sauce into the chicken. (Instead, I put the chicken mixture back into the first pot- there was much more room.)

Mix together cornstarch and water, then stir into the sauce.

Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.