Indian Butter Shrimp
Recipe adapted from Bowl Food Cookbook

What is Makhni? Makhni means buttery and contains tomatoes, cream, butter and yogurt.

This is post-partition creation by Punjabis in Delhi at Moti Mahal restaurant during 1950s. Lots of fresh butter was stirred in the tomato based chicken curry to make Makhni Chicken. At the same time time several small scale Punjabi Restaurant stalls opened up al around Delhi to serve Sikh Taxi drivers. Dhaba incorporated the concept in to making the popular Mah Dal to make is Mah Makhani Dal.

Makhan in Hindi means butter. Therefore sometimes Makhni dishes are also called 'Buttery'. Indian Butter (Makhan) is a cultured butter. There is a sourness associated with the cultured butter. In United States, the butter is not cultured, so a small amount of Yogurt is added to get this sour taste. In India, Malai to give the sauce a more creamy texture.

Malai Clotted-cream is Devonshire-cream. These creams are one and same made from simmering whole un-pasteurized milk When you heat whole raw milk to about 180 ºF, a thin skin starts to form at the top surface. The temperature is kept at 180 ºF for about one hour, and this skin becomes very thick yellowish. It is about 55% butterfat. This is called Malai in India, and Clotted or Devonshire cream in the western world. During British Raaj, English used it for their tea.

Nowadays, Makhni sauce consists of Dahi (home made yogurt), Butter and Heavy Whipping Cream. You have to be careful when adding Dahi. Dahi will start to separate as it reacts with spices and is heated. You have to add Dahi, little bit at a time as it is consumed in the host mixture. Even if the Dahi is separated, don't worry about it. As the gravy thickens, the separated milk solids will blend in. Same is true about cream. Cream should always be added last.

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails intact
½ cup butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1½ teaspoons garam masala
2 tablespoons tandoori paste, see note
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1¼ cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon honey
⅓ cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon sliced almonds
Cooked rice and lemon wedges to serve

In a large, deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, and 1 teaspoon of garam masala and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the tandoori paste and tomato paste, stirring to incorporate, and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the cream and honey, then reduce heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken.

Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook for about 10 minutes at a simmer until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Remove pan from heat and stir in the yogurt, remaining garam masala, and half of the cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve over cooked rice and garnish with remaining cilantro, lemon wedges, and slivered almonds.

Serves 4 to 6