Butter Chicken without Butter

By Rose Reisman Beloved staples of Indian cuisine get a contemporary twist at St. Clair West’s Pukka. Owners Harsh Chawla and sommelier Derek Valleau have refined a modern Indian menu focused on sharing-style dishes. The duo is no stranger to creating upscale Indian food, as they also co-founded Amaya the Indian Room. Inspired by gastronomic stylings of Vikram Vij, Pukka offers an array of flavours and aromas, such as kale salad with dates, lotus root chips and cashew dressing, Tandoori calamari with coconut chutney and citrus salad, in addition to well-known and beloved staples like butter chicken. The menu also offers vegetarians a solid amount of options, such as the stuffed paneer. For an easy version of the classic dish, try my Light "Butter" Chicken.

Serves 4 Marinade 4 boneless skinless chicken breast cut into cubes 1 cup plain Greek Yogurt 3 minced garlic cloves 1 Tbsp minced ginger 1 ½ tsp garam masala 1 ½ tsp curry paste 1 ½ tsp lemon juice 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander Salt and pepper Sauce 2 tsp vegetable oil 1 ½ cups diced onion 1 ½ tsp garam masala 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp curry paste 1 (14 oz) can tomatoes ½ cup light coconut milk 3 Tbsp olive oil ¼ cup toasted slivered almonds 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro (brown rice optional)

1. Mix all ingredients for marinade together and let marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 425 F.  Line a baking sheet with foil and place marinated chicken with marinade in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes or until temperature reaches 160 F and no longer pink inside.
3. Sauce: In a large skillet, heat oil and sauté onions for 5 minutes. Add garam masala, paprika and curry paste and sauté for a couple of minutes.  Add tomatoes, crushing them with a wooden spoon, cover and simmer 15 minutes.  Puree until smooth add back to skillet along with coconut milk and olive oil. Add chicken cook for

Nutritional Information per Serving Calories 269 Total Fat 13.8g Saturated Fat 3.4g Cholesterol 71mg Sodium 188mg Carbohydrates 4.4g Fibre 1g Protein 30.1g