Butter-less Butter Chicken - A Doctor's take on an iconic classic

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut in small pieces with excess fat trimmed off

• 2 large white onions cut small

• 2 large tomatoes cut small

• 2 inches ginger minced

• 1 head of garlic minced

• 2-4 Green chillies slit-( you can vary the number based on your heat requirement)

• 2 Cinnamon sticks

• 1/4 teaspoon Cumin seeds

• 1 spring of Curry leaves cut smaller

• 1 1/2 cup whole raw walnuts

• 1 cup Tomato sauce/ Marinara sauce or 1/4 cup tomato paste

• 1 teaspoon organic Stevia

• 2 tablespoon Sesame oil

• 1 cup Home made plain yogurt or store bought low fat plain yogurt

• 1 1/2 teaspoons organic ground Turmeric

• 1 1/2 teaspoon Garam masala

• 2 tablespoon Lemon juice

• 1 cup of tomato sauce

Directions:

• Mix Chicken, Turmeric, Garam masala, Yogurt and Lemon juice and marinate for 2 hours

• Heat oil in Nonstick pain and add Curry leaves, Cinnamon,Green chilies,Ginger, Garlic and Cumin seeds

• Add Onions and brown onions

• Add the Tomatoes and allow to soften

• Add the marinated chicken to the mixture and 1 cup of water and allow to simmer

• Add water to the walnuts and grind to smooth paste

• After the Chicken has simmered for 15 minutes add the ground walnut mixture

• Add the Stevia, tomato sauce, salt to taste and allow to simmer additional 5 minutes

• Allow to simmer for additional ten minutes to incorporate all flavors.

• Serve with favorite Brown rice, Naan etc.

This dish has all the tasty goodness of traditional butter chicken without the excess fat! The nuts add omega fatty acids, protein and creaminess to the sauce. In my opinion butter and cream are over-rated. Anyone can cook with butter and cream and make something taste good, but a recipe that is aromatic, creamy, tangy and flavorful without butter and cream, is a physicians dream! I hope you enjoy my family recipe and live long and strong!

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