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Makhani Sauce

Makhani Sauce

216kcal
5 from 1 vote
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Prep 5 minutes
Cook 1 hour
Total 1 hour 5 minutes
This is a recipe for the classic Makhani sauce that adds the magic to Butter Chicken, one of the most popular Indian dishes in the world. There are many variations of Butter Chicken, that call for adding Cashew Nuts, and a variety of other spices. This is the basic recipe for this sauce, and you can go beyond and experiment at your pleasure.
Servings 6 cups
Course Sauce
Cuisine Indian

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter
  • 1.5 pounds Tomatoes preferably ripe
  • 6 oz Tomato Paste 1 can
  • 1 inch Ginger coarsely chopped
  • 6 Garlic Cloves
  • 2 Green Chillies to taste
  • 2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili powder
  • 2 tbsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves Qasoori Methi
  • 1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
  • 1 tbsp Honey Or Sugar, to taste
  • 1 tsp Salt to taste
  • 1 cup Chicken Stock optional, can substitute with water

Method

Preparation
  1. Cut up the tomatoes; large chunks are okay, because they’re going to be pureed.
    Chopped Tomatoes
  2. Make the Dried Fenugreek Leaves powder by toasting them in a pan on low heat until the leaves become crispy.
    Kasoori Methi
  3. When they cool, crush them to a powder with your fingers or in a mortar and pestle.
    Kasoori Methi
Cooking
  1. In a pot, add the Tomatoes, Ginger, Garlic and Green Chilies with 3 cups of water.
    Makhani Sauce
  2. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes,
    Makhani Sauce
  3. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.
    Makhani Sauce
  4. Once the contents of the pot have cooled enough, empty them into a blender and puree to a smooth paste.
  5. Strain the pureed tomatoes into the same pot and squeeze out as much of the sauce as possible.
    Makhani Sauce
    6. If you use powdered spices to make this sauce, as this recipe calls for, whether you strain the sauce or not is your preference. However, if you choose to use the whole Garam Masala spices, it’s recommended that you strain the sauce to remove the fibers of the spices to make a smooth sauce.
  6. You should only have the seeds and skin of the Tomatoes left behind in the strainer.
    Makhani Sauce
  7. Add a cup of Chicken Stock, along with the Butter, Tomato Paste, Kashmiri Red Chili and/or Paprika to the pot. See recipe notes.
    Makhani Sauce
    8. Kashmiri Red Chili adds a bit of heat and the deep red color that is characteristic of the sauce. If you’d like to reduce the heat level, you can substitute with mild Paprika
  8. Mix the contents of the pot well and simmer for 30 minutes.
    Makhani Sauce
  9. Add the Garam Masala, Dried Fenugreek Leaves (crushed), and Salt and mix well, and continue simmering for another 5 minutes.
    Makhani Sauce
  10. Add the cream and mix well. Taste the sauce and add Sugar or Honey to balance the tartness of the Tomatoes.
    Makhani Sauce
    11. The key to getting this recipe perfect is to balance the tartness of the Tomatoes with a sweetener – taste the sauce and adjust the quantity of sugar as needed. Dried Fenugreek Leaves and Cardamom Powder are essential to the flavor, and the Tomato Paste adds another layer of flavor.

Nutrition

Serving1cupCalories216kcalCarbohydrates17gProtein4gFat16gSaturated Fat10gPolyunsaturated Fat1gMonounsaturated Fat4gTrans Fat0.3gCholesterol44mgSodium743mgPotassium651mgFiber3gSugar11gVitamin A2101IUVitamin C25mgCalcium46mgIron1mg

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