Butter chicken

Your ready-to-cook kit contains the ingredients listed below as well as a simple and practical recipe sheet, so that this dish is the best you have ever tasted.

• 

  Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus Cinnamomum. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, biscuits, breakfast cereals, snack foods, bagels, teas, hot chocolate and traditional foods. The aroma and flavour of cinnamon derive from its essential oil and principal component, cinnamaldehyde, as well as numerous other constituents, including eugenol.

  Cinnamon

• 

  Cloves are native to the Maluku Islands of Indonesia but have been a highly prized spice in India for centuries. Cloves have a strong, pungent, and sweet aroma. They are used whole in rice dishes and curries, and are also a key ingredient in many spice blends, including garam masala.

  Cloves

• 

  Fenugreek is a plant cultivated throughout India, and the leaves are dried to create this aromatic spice. These dried leaves have a slightly bitter and savory flavor. They are typically crushed between the palms and sprinkled into a dish toward the end of cooking to add a distinctive nutty, savory aroma, especially in curries and lentil dishes.

  Dried fenugreek leaves

• 

  The Indian bay leaf comes from a different tree than the European variety. It is native to the Himalayan region and has been a part of Indian cooking for a very long time. It imparts a mild, cinnamon-like aroma to dishes. It is most commonly used whole and added to the oil at the start of cooking to flavor rice, stews, and a variety of curries.

  Bay leaf

• 

  As the name suggests, these chillies are a specific variety cultivated in the Kashmir region of India. Prized for their vibrant red color and mild heat, they are used to add a beautiful red hue to dishes without making them excessively spicy. They are essential for dishes like rogan josh, tandoori chicken, and various curries.

  Kashmiri red chili powder

• 

  Cashew nuts were not originally native to India but were introduced by the Portuguese in the 16th century. They brought the cashew tree from its native region in Eastern Brazil to Goa, India, where it was initially used for afforestation and soil binding to prevent erosion. The tree thrived in India's coastal climate and soil, and its commercial importance was recognized later, leading to its widespread cultivation. India is now one of the world's largest producers, processors, and exporters of cashews. Cashews, known as "kaju," are a versatile and integral ingredient in Indian cuisine, valued for their creamy texture and rich flavor. They are used in both sweet and savory dishes, often to add richness, body, and a nutty taste.

  Cashew nuts

• 

  The lush, green mountains of Southern India are the native home of green cardamom. It is known as the "Queen of Spices." Cardamom has a sweet, floral, and highly aromatic flavor. Green pods are used whole in savory rice dishes like biryani and curries. The seeds are ground and used in desserts like kheer, and to flavor chai tea.

  Cardamom

The recipe requires the following ingredients that are not included in your kit, we recommend buying these ingredients locally.

• 

  Oil is an essential base ingredient in Indian cooking. Different oils are used depending on the region: mustard oil in the north and east, coconut oil in the south, and peanut oil in the west. Oil serves as the base for tadka (tempering), a technique where spices are fried in hot oil to release their aromas before being added to dishes.

  Oil

• 

  Yogurt (dahi) is a fundamental ingredient in Indian cuisine. It is used in marinades to tenderize meat, as a base for raita (cooling condiment), and to prepare lassi and chaas. Yogurt adds acidity and creaminess to curries and helps temper spices. Making homemade yogurt is a daily tradition in many Indian households.

  Yogurt

• 

  Fresh cream is used in modern Indian cooking and restaurant-style dishes to add richness and smoothness. It is added to creamy curries like butter chicken, korma, and malai kofta. Cream also tempers the heat of spices and gives sauces their characteristic velvety texture.

  Cream

• 

  Butter, particularly unsalted white butter, is a choice ingredient in Mughlai and Punjabi cuisine. It is the base of the famous butter chicken and dal makhani. In restaurants, butter is generously added to dishes to give them the richness and creaminess characteristic of festive Indian cuisine.

  Butter

• 

  Sugar plays an important role in Indian cuisine, not just in desserts. It is added to some curries to balance the acidity of tomatoes and the heat of spices. Jaggery (gur), an unrefined sugar made from sugarcane or palm, is traditionally preferred for its complex flavors and benefits according to Ayurveda.

  sugar

• 

  Lemon juice is an essential ingredient for adding acidity and freshness to Indian dishes. It is used in marinades to tenderize meat, in chutneys and pickles, and as a finishing touch on many dishes. Nimbu pani (Indian lemonade) is a popular refreshing drink throughout the country.

  Lemon juice

• 

  Ginger is native to the rainforests of Maritime Southeast Asia and is one of the first spices to have been exported from Asia. It was introduced to India very early in its history and has been cultivated there for thousands of years, becoming an integral part of both its cuisine and traditional medicine, Ayurveda. Ginger is a foundational ingredient in Indian cooking. It is a key component of the aromatic paste known as ginger-garlic paste, which forms the flavor base for countless curries, dals, and marinades. It provides a pungent, spicy, and warm flavor. Fresh ginger is also grated or julienned and added to stir-fries, and is famously used to make a soothing and spicy chai (tea).

  Ginger

• 

  Garlic's origins are traced back to Central Asia, where it was first cultivated. It spread from there to the Middle East and then to South Asia, becoming a staple in Indian diets since ancient times. Garlic is another essential aromatic in Indian cooking. It is most often used alongside ginger and onion to create the rich, sautéed base (bhuna) for a wide array of dishes. It provides a savory, sharp, and slightly spicy flavor that is a must-have for meat dishes, vegetable curries, and dals. It is also a key ingredient in many Indian pickles and chutneys.

  Garlic

• 

  Chillies were brought to India by the Portuguese, but green chillies have since become a fundamental part of the cuisine. Used to provide fresh heat and a sharp flavor, green chillies are a primary source of spiciness in Indian cooking. They can be sliced and added directly to curries, sauces, or fried alongside other spices in a Tadka.

  Green chili

• 

  Boneless chicken is one of the most used ingredients in Indian non-vegetarian cuisine. Cut into pieces, it is ideal for curries like butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, and korma. Boneless chicken absorbs yogurt and spice marinades well, making it perfect for tandooris and tikkas.

  Boneless chicken

• 

  Salt is an indispensable flavor enhancer in Indian cuisine. Besides regular table salt, India also uses kala namak (black salt), a volcanic salt with a distinctive sulfurous taste, used in chaat masala and refreshing drinks. Himalayan pink salt, mined from Pakistan, is also highly prized for its purity and minerals.

  Salt

• 

  Onion is the aromatic base of most Indian curries. Finely sliced and slowly browned, it forms the characteristic sauce base of Indian dishes. In Indian cooking, onions are often caramelized until golden brown (birista), a technique that develops deep, sweet flavors essential to biryanis and kormas.

  Onion

• 

  Tomatoes, although introduced relatively recently to India by the Portuguese, have become a fundamental ingredient in modern Indian cuisine. They provide acidity, color, and body to curries. Tomatoes are used fresh, pureed, or canned to create the rich, flavorful sauces characteristic of dishes like butter chicken or tikka masala.

  Tomatoes