Gordon's Great Escape

Gordon: "Butter chicken, or murgh makhani, was one of the first dishes I tasted when I went to India. Its origins can be traced back to Moghul times, but the dish and its history is most closely associated with Delhi's famous Moti Mahal restaurant, where I had the pleasure of eating this fantastic dish. Over time, numerous chefs have attempted to emulate the rich buttery sauce, and flavours vary slightly between restaurants. This is my version of the classic dish." Check out the latest from Gordon's travels in India in Gordon's Great Escape

• 800g boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3-4cm pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely crushed
• 2cm ginger, peeled and finely grated
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp hot chilli powder
• 1½ tbsp lemon juice
• 75ml natural yoghurt
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil, for brushing

For the sauce

• 1½ tbsp ghee or melted unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 2cm ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 cardamom pod, seeds lightly crushed
• 2 cloves
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp hot chilli powder, or to taste
• 275ml tomato puree
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 40g unsalted butter
• 100ml double cream
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander, to garnish

How to make butter chicken

1. Place the chicken in a bowl with the garlic, ginger, salt, chilli powder and lemon juice. Mix, cover with cling film and chill for 30 minutes. Mix together the yoghurt, garam masala, turmeric and cumin and add to the chicken, making sure that each piece is well coated with the mixture. Cover again and chill for 3-4 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Put the marinated chicken pieces on a grill rack set on a baking tray and bake for 8-10 minutes. Brush the chicken pieces with a little oil and turn them over. Bake for another 10-12 minutes until just cooked through.

3. For the sauce, heat the ghee or butter in a pan and add the garlic and ginger. Fry for a minute or so then add the cardamom, cloves, coriander, garam masala, turmeric and chilli powder. Stir well and fry for 1-2 minutes until they give off a lovely aroma. Stir in the tomato pure and lemon juice and cook for another couple of minutes. Add the chicken pieces to the sauce and stir well to coat. Finally, add the butter and cream and stir continuously until the butter has melted and the sauce is smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a warm bowl and serve hot, garnished with chopped coriander.