BRAAIED BUTTER CHICKEN CURRY

Butter chicken seems to be the universal curry that everyone loves, and for good reason. It’s so damn tasty, and this version takes things to a whole new braai level.

Serves: 6–8 
Prep: Overnight + 30 minutes 
Cook: 1 hour + resting time

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 1½ cups double cream yoghurt
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• a big knob of fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons garam masala
• 2 tablespoons Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• a squeeze of lemon juice
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2kg deboned and skinned chicken thighs
• 6 kebab sticks

For the Potjie

• oil for frying
• a big knob of butter
• 2 large onions, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• a knob of fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• ½ tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 cups tomato purée
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 100g crème fraîche
• 1 teaspoon crushed dried fenugreek leaves (you’ll have to visit a spice shop for these)
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• to serve: naan bread or basmati rice
• ¼ cup almond flakes, toasted
• fresh coriander

Method

1. To make the chicken, mix all the ingredients, except the chicken and kebab sticks, in a container with a lid. Add the chicken and give it a good massage, then refrigerate to marinate overnight. The next day, remove the container from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature.
2. Thread the chicken onto the kebab sticks and braai over very hot coals. You are not trying to cook the chicken through, you just need to char and caramelise it. Brush each kebab with extra marinade at each turn, then set aside when you are happy with them. Allow to cool before removing the chicken from the kebab sticks. At this point you can cut the chicken pieces into small pieces or leave as they are.
3. To make the potjie, preheat a number 3 potjie over medium-high-heat coals. Add a splash of oil and the knob of butter and fry the onions until they soften and start to brown. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for a minute until fragrant. Toss in all the spices and fry for another minute. Stir in the tomato purée, fish sauce and sugar. Bring to a simmer over low-heat coals for 20 minutes to let the flavours make friends.
4. This step is optional, but it does give you that awesome curry house gravy result. After 20 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and use a hand blender to blitz the curry sauce until smooth. Return the pot to the heat and add the chicken. Stir in the crème fraîche and fenugreek leaves and simmer for another 15 minutes to cook the chicken. Season to taste, then remove the pot from the heat, cover and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve it with naan bread or basmati rice with a sprinkle of toasted almonds and fresh coriander.