There have been several times when I have enjoyed eating butter chicken. There are a few places especially, where I really like to them from. For those who know these places - Mangala in Mangalore and Janani in Manipal - I don't think any one can do it better than them. And a little secret I learnt in Manipal - butter chicken and curd rice!! Yes I know how it sounds, but trust me this is one of the best and strangest combinations I have ever eaten. The hot buttery chicken and the cold curd rice. In your mouth its an explosion of textures, flavors and even temperatures.

Anyways, butter chicken has a number of tedious recipes. I don't dispute that they may be better than what I am about to post, but this one is both tasty as well as really easy to make. So here goes!!!

Ingredients: 1 kg chicken, 100 gms butter (amul will do) (and yes you can forget about calorie counting), 3 medium onions, 3 medium tomatoes, 3 green chillies sliced, a handful of cashewnuts, 6 tbsp (yes! 6) of coriander powder, 3 tsps of chilli powder (or to your taste), 3 tbsps of tomato ketchup or puree, 3 cloves of garlic and an inch of ginger chopped. A few cloves, elaichi and cinnamon sticks

Method: Take 50 grams of the butter and fry the onions in it. The onions will have to be sliced. Once they are translucent, take it off the fire, dump it into a mixie along with tomatoes and the handful of cashews. Blend into a smooth thickish paste.

Take the remaining butter and splutter the cloves, cinnamon and elaichi. Put in the chicken and fry for a little while. Add the 6 tbsps of coriander powder, the 3 tsps of chilli powder, 3 tbsps of tomato ketchup/puree and fry for a while. Now would be a good time to add in the salt.

After a little while put in the onion/tomato/cashew paste. Mix well and leave it too cook. When half way done, drop in the sliced chillies and the chopped garlic. And leave to simmer till done.

This goes well with rotis, and with jeera or ghee rice, the latter being throwing complete calories consciousness to the winds. Also why don't you try it with some curd rice.