Eats

Dish of the Day: Masala's Butter Chicken

by Elizabeth Rose

Masala's mouthwatering Butter Chicken ($16) is a divergence from the traditional chicken dishes around Lafayette.

Overflowing with flavor and spices, Masala's butter chicken's boneless pieces of tandorri chicken - chicken thighs and legs marinated in a mixture of yogurt, mild spices and herbs then barbecued to perfection - are coated in a rich and creamy tomato sauce. While some of the ingredients may be a little difficult to find, this gluten-free dish is a perfect way to try Indian cuisine in your own kitchen.

Don't feel like cooking? Head over to Masala for its EatLafayette special, a $49.95 dinner for two that includes one appetizer, two soups or salads, two entrees and one dessert. Choose from a variety of well-seasoned dishes, including vegetarian, gluten-free and heart healthy options. Masala is located on 2208 Kaliste Saloom Road and is open for lunch Sunday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and for dinner Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

masala_indian_butter_chicken

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter            
1 tablespoon *Garam masala
1 tablespoon ginger paste        
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped green chili     
12 tomatoes pureed
1 tablespoon chili powder        
salt to taste
1 tablespoon honey            
1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
1 cup water                
1 cup heavy cream

To make sauce:
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in Garam masala.
When masala begins to crackle, mix in ginger paste, chopped garlic and green chili peppers.
Sauté until tender, and then stir in tomato puree, chili powder, salt and water.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring in honey and fenugreek.
Place chicken in sauce mixture. Continue cooking for another five minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink inside.
Stir in fresh cream.

Every week day during EatLafayette, the popular initiative to get more diners into locally owned restaurants, The Independent will spotlight a Dish of the Day; on Wednesdays, our Dish of the Day also becomes the Dish of the Week and is published in the print edition. The campaign runs June 18 to Aug. 15.

To be eligible for the Dish of the Day feature, digital images from participating EatLafayette restaurants or their patrons must be emailed to Katie Macdonald at  [email protected] or Elizabeth Rose at  [email protected] . (From time to time, The Independent will also photograph some of the dishes.) When emailing please include information like any special cooking techniques used, the name of the chef or cook who prepared the dish, and whether the dish is part of an EatLafayette special. To be eligible for the Dish of the Week competition, cooks or chefs must also include the recipe and instructions on how to prepare the meal. Read more about The Independent's ongoing EatLafayette coverage here.