Few things can spell Indian food better to the world than “Butter Chicken”. True, that this is a quintessential Punjabi dish today, but its various interpretations have left people all over the world licking their chops first and their fingers later.

Mind you, India has a whole gamut of food, cooking styles, cuisines and culinary identities. So if someone tells you some food item is “authentic Indian”, it is quite likely that he or she is speaking from his knowledge of authenticity. And even likelier that he or she has seen that specific food item may have been made in exactly that particular style all his or her life.

Therefore, calling this butter chicken with parotta:

…the most authentic would be a travesty to butter chicken dishes all over the world! This is just another small culinary journey Pooja and Arkadev – that’s us – took to bring some more spice into life, both literally and figuratively. It was our interpretation of the dish.

So why share it with the world? Tell me honestly, wouldn’t you like something like this to brighten your day or week? Why not make it for your special one? Or if you are single, why not make this when you invite someone over? Not feeling like inviting someone over? Make this nevertheless, and share it with your friends in the virtual world, much like how we are doing!

Pooja had been planning this for the visit of two of our friends, but she decided to make this over the weekend. The marinade masala – whose recipe can be unearthed via a simple Google search – was store-bought and in powder form. So, Pooja started by using half the powder to marinate the chicken for half an hour. A dash of lemon juice and some curd also went into it.

Meanwhile, the other half of the powder was mixed evenly in some warm water, and put aside. This would be used to make the gravy.

After the chicken has marinated well, Pooja begins the actual cooking. The oil begins to boil.

Then in goes the chicken, and some frying ensues. Kindly note that I had already began salivating from this point. The wafting aroma was so delicious, it could have just converted some vegans for life!

Now, before you vegans get your pitchforks out, please take a look at Jain cuisine. That’s Indian too, and really nice!

Meanwhile, with the chicken somewhat fried – basically, not entirely raw – Pooja poured in the masala mix that had been set aside. This would make for some good, spicy gravy.

After the gravy dried a bit, in went some freshly boiled milk. The ideal ingredient here would have been some fresh cream – even the low-fat variety. But we were just too wary of the real heart-stopping ingredient – again, both literally and figuratively – that was to come later.

As the gravy thickened, in went four big dollops of butter. And I will be honest here: It took me so much self-restraint to not just dive in for a taste that had I been an ascetic, that self-restraint would have been a giant leap towards moksha.

After the butter melted and melded in, mixed with the gravy and the chicken, the pan was left covered on low heat to cook.

The final product, after 10-odd minutes, should look something like this.

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