Slowcooker Kashmiri Butter Chicken.

Uses very little butter, has a rich sauce and low calorie. Very authentic! Could be cooked on stove also.
Freezes well.

Serves 4: c.301 Calories per serving

2 onions quartered
3 garlic cloves
4cmfresh root ginger peeled (I use about 3tsp minced ginger).
I large red chilli halved, seeds discarded (I leave this out because of kids).
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs. (I used 480g skinless chicken breasts when calculating calories for this).
1 tbsp sunflower oil.
25g butter
1tsp cumin seeds crushed
1tsp fennel seeds crushed
4 green cardamom pods crushed
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
300ml chicken stock
1tbsp light muscovado sugar
2 tbsp tomato puree
5 tbsp double cream (optional - I use Avonmore 50% less fat cooking cream for cooking).
To garnish: 2tbsp chopped coriander leaves and flaked almonds (if desired).

Preheat slow cooker if your model requires it. Blend onions, garlic, ginger and chilli in a blender/processer (or chop v finely). Cut each chicken thigh into 4 pieces and brown using the oil. Remove to a plate. Melt butter in pan and add onion paste, cooking until it begins to colour. Stir in crushed seeds, crushed cardamom seeds and pods and ground spices. Cook for 1 minute, add stock, sugar, tomato puree, and salt. Bring to boil, stirring. Transfer chicken to slowcooker and pour sauce over. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7hrs. Stir in cream if required before serving.

I have a coffee grinder that I use as a spice grinder so I grind the spices fresh. Sometimesto save time I make up about 4 times the quantity and keep it in a jar. I have calculated how many spoonfuls a batch takes so just add as needed when I make Kashmiri Butter chicken to save time.

This spice mix is also amazing sprinkled over Mixed Roasted vegetables before they go in the oven...choose what you like but I have included onion, sweet potato, peppers, courgette (zucchuni), carrot, parsnip...whatever I have at the time. It is great hot or kept in the fridge and eated more as a cold side/salad. Keeps the plate interesting!