Here’s my second curry to originate in the northern city of Delhi. Apparently it’s a relatively recent invention — it didn’t appear until the 1950s. A restaurant specialising in tandoor-cooked chicken came up with the recipe as way of using the chicken and juices leftover from service. I’ve heard it’s now one of the most popular curries across all India, though really, I have no idea.

Though the original recipe called for tandoor-cooked chicken, this one cooks the marinated chicken pieces in the oven. No doubt the original wins, but for a home-cooked version, this ain’t bad! The combination of tomato, honey and cream is a winner in my curry-stained book.

Here’s what you need

1 Kg chicken thigh fillets cut into large pieces

For the marinade

• 2 tablespoons of natural yoghurt
• 4 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons of garam masala
• 1 teaspoon of chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of suga

For the sauce

• 2 onions, roughly diced
• A good knob of fresh ginger, peeled and diced
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, diced
• 1 fresh long green chilli, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup of water
• 100 grams butter
• 3 teaspoons ground coriander
• 3 teaspoons of ground cumin
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 8-10 cloves
• I tablespoon of green cardamon pods, lightly crushed
• A pinch of nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
• 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 4 fresh bayleaves
• 1 teaspoon of chilli powder
• 800 mils of tomato pasta
• 4 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1/2 cup of natural yoghurt
• 4 tablespoons of honey
• 1 cup of thin cream

Here’s what you do

1. Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and add all of the marinade ingredients, mixing together well. Cover and place in the fridge, preferably overnight. If you are in a hurry, 2-3 hours should be enough.
2. Preheat the oven to 200c.
3. Line a baking tray with foil, lay the chicken in the tray and roast for around 15 minutes. The chicken should be lightly charred but not cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oven and set it to one side.
4. To make the sauce, add the onions, ginger, garlic, fresh chilli and water to a blender and blend to a smooth paste.
5. Melt the butter in a large non-stick fry pan over a medium heat.
6. Add the ground coriander, cumin, the cinnamon stick and the cloves and toast until fragrant,
7. Add the onion paste and cook for another five minutes.
8. Add the cardamon pods, nutmeg, fenugreek seeds, bay leaves, black pepper and chilli powder and cook for another 3 minutes until it’s all well combined and fragrant.
9. Add the tomato pasata, tomato paste and yoghurt and stir well.
10. Add the chicken along with the honey and cream. Bring it to a simmer and cook over a low heat for 1 hour.
11. Season with extra salt and honey if required. Your own taste buds will tell you what it needs.

Serve the butter chicken with rice, or a turmeric rice if you prefer things with a little more colour. I do.