Makhani Sauce (Butter Chicken)

Name: Makhani Sauce (Butter Chicken)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Indian (North Indian/Punjabi)
Ingredients: Ripe tomatoes, chopped — 500 g (1.1 lb); Cashews — 30 g (1/4 cup); Butter — 60 g (4 tbsp); Garlic and ginger, minced — 4 cloves and 15 g (4 cloves and 1 tbsp); Kashmiri chile powder — 10 g (1 tbsp); Garam masala — 5 g (1.5 tsp); Heavy cream — 100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp); Sugar and salt — to taste

The Quirky Foodster Team

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15 min

Prep

40 min

Cook

Ingredients

Ripe tomatoes, chopped — 500 g (1.1 lb)
Cashews — 30 g (1/4 cup)
Butter — 60 g (4 tbsp)
Garlic and ginger, minced — 4 cloves and 15 g (4 cloves and 1 tbsp)
Kashmiri chile powder — 10 g (1 tbsp)
Garam masala — 5 g (1.5 tsp)
Heavy cream — 100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp)
Sugar and salt — to taste

Method

Simmer tomatoes and cashews together in a small amount of water for 15-20 minutes until very soft.
Blend to a completely smooth purée.
Melt half the butter in a saucepan; sauté garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the tomato-cashew purée, chile powder and garam masala; simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until
thickened and the oil separates slightly.
Stir in cream and remaining butter; season with sugar and salt to balance.

Cultural Background: A rich, buttery tomato-cream sauce, makhani gravy underlies India's globally beloved butter chicken, created in mid-20th century Delhi by chefs repurposing leftover tandoori chicken in a luxurious tomato-butter sauce.

Tips: • Blending the cashews with the tomatoes gives the sauce its characteristic velvety, rich texture without needing excessive cream. • Kashmiri chile powder gives a vibrant red colour without excessive heat — regular chile powder can be substituted with reduced quantity.

Variations: • Add cooked tandoori-style chicken directly into the finished sauce for the full butter chicken dish. • Use paneer instead of chicken for a vegetarian version (paneer makhani).

Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months.

Reheating: Reheat gently over low heat, stirring occasionally. Nutrition (per serving) Approx. 140 kcal, 2 g protein, 12 g fat, 6 g carbohydrate per 100 ml serving.

FAQs: What is makhani sauce traditionally used for? The base for butter chicken (murgh makhani) and paneer makhani, simmered with cooked chicken or paneer. Why blend cashews into the sauce? Cashews create a naturally creamy, rich texture without relying entirely on dairy cream, a traditional Mughlai-influenced technique.