*If you are new here, WELCOME! For Chicken Makhani (Butter Chicken), I provide you with a brief summary about the recipe, other food ideas, tips and a recipe in that order!
The Vibrant Years is Sonali Dev’s newest novel and the first book from Mindy Kaling’s new imprint Mindy’s Book Studio. Yes, that Mindy Kaling.
Insert one Millennial genius trying to code a revolutionary dating app. Add in two begrudging research assistants in her strong-willed, gorgeous grandmother and her career-stunted, timid mother. Top it off with a series of…unfortunate dates. And you have The Vibrant Years.
I love a good rom-com more than anything and Sonali Dev nails it.
Sonali Dev also provided us with her favorite Chicken Makhani or Butter Chicken recipe. This recipe is a rich, creamy, and flavorful chicken dish that is a great introduction to Indian food if you are new to the cuisine.
Don’t forget to check out the book club kit for The Vibrant Years . Keep reading for Sonali Dev’s special Chicken Makhani (Butter Chicken) recipe for you!
For The Vibrant Years Food Ideas:
This novel was bursting with food and I loved it. It made me want to sit down and overindulge in my favorite comfort food while reading. In my humble opinion, all the best books do that.
Here are some food ideas from the pages of The Vibrant Years. Many, but not all, are Indian foods.
- Matcha bubble tea when Steve tells Cullie about Shloka’s fee
- Aly and Bindu have lunch at an Iranian restaurant – khoresh bademjan, butter-fried eggplant layered on slow-cooked lamb
- Richard and Bindu’s tragic date – chicken curry (makhani chicken) with rice and koshimbir (tomatoes and cucumber)
- After Cullie flies home – Chinese take out — all the Szechuan dishes on the menu
- Ashish comes home and he and Bindu make rotis (Bindu enjoys a sugar-and-ghee roti most), and fish curry
- The terrible date with the noseless veternarian- vegetarian tacos and sweet potato fries
- Bindu cooks for days for Cullie and Rohan- Mutton xacuti, prawns kissmoor, and fried fish. Also, bebinca.
- Chai mentioned several times (along with Marie biscuits)
Sonali Dev was kind enough to provide us with a butter chicken (makhani chicken) recipe that she loves. Since the whole book really hinges on the tragedy of Richard and Bindu’s date, I think this is the perfect pick!
Plus, Sonali Dev says that butter chicken is the perfect “gateway” Indian dish – beloved by those who cherish Indian food already and those new to it.
Let me tell you, this recipe is a winner.
Easy to make and rich with spices and cream, this chicken should be on your dinner rotation even if you don’t make it for your book club (which you should!).
Whether you choose something from this list or try your own option, I hope these ideas will get your creative juices flowing to host your book club for The Vibrant Years.
A few tips on making Butter Chicken or Chicken Makhani :
Here are a few tips to help make your cooking experience the best it can be!
- Cut your chicken against the grain of the meat for the most tender bites.
- If you can’t find Tandoori spice mix at your grocery store, you can make it with your own spices. Here is a good recipe.
- Stir the sauce constantly as you cook to avoid burning it.
- Remove the aromatics before serving. Spoon out the whole peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom so that no one crunches on one. It’ll ruin the experience!
Whether you choose something from this list or try your own option, I hope these ideas will get your creative juices flowing to host your book club for The Vibrant Years.
Chicken Makhani (Butter Chicken) Recipe:
Chicken Makhani/Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lbs of Boneless chicken cut into 1½ inch pieces
For marinade
- ½ cup yogurt Recommended: whole fat Greek yogurt but you can use any
- 2 teaspoons ginger paste Recommended: homemade paste works best
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste Recommended: homemade paste works best
- Salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon Tandoori spice mix
For sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 pods green cardamom
- 6 Cloves
- 6 Black peppercorns
- 1 inch piece cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 6 oz can tomato sauce
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon kasoori methi
- ½ cup fresh cream
Instructions
- Mix marinade ingredients and marinate chicken for at least 3-4 hours in a baking dish. (preferably overnight)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Bake chicken in the baking dish for 20-25 minutes, until cooked. Make sure the juices collect in the dish.
- Set aside.
- To make the sauce, heat the butter in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the cardamom pods, cloves, peppercorns, and cinnamon. Let bloom gently until you can smell them. About 2 minutes
- Add the ginger and garlic pastes and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for ten minutes.
- Remove the peppercorns, cardamom pods, whole cloves, and piece of cinnamon from the sauce.
- Add the sugar, powdered kasoori methi, salt to taste.
- Add the cooked tandoori chicken pieces along with the marinade juices and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add fresh cream.
- Serve hot with naan or/and rice.
More Fun from Sonali Dev:
Please insert a short description of your recipe and why it relates to your novel. Include any information you think readers would enjoy!
Butter Chicken is widely regarded as the perfect “gateway Indian dish.” It’s equally popular inside and outside India. In The Vibrant Years, Bindu Desai loves to cook, but she’s spent so many years cooking and taking care of people that now she understands the value of her own food and is much more choosy about who deserves the gift of her cooking. In one of my favorite scenes in the book, the Butter Chicken she cooks for a date has some fairly disastrous consequences.
Good food and a good book go hand-in-hand. What is your favorite food to enjoy while reading?
A big bowl of chips and some dark dark chocolate.
Did you sample any interesting food while researching this book? Or experience anything exciting while researching?
I visited Goa (a coastal city in India) and wrote a large part of the book while I was there. The family The Vibrant Years is centered around, the Desais, are originally from Goa which has a rich and unique cuisine. Needless to say, it was absolutely necessary for me to taste every one of the fantastic foods mentioned in the book.
Find Sonali Dev:
Sonali can be found online!
https://www.facebook.com/sonalidevfanpage/
https://www.instagram.com/sonali.dev/
Don’t forget to check out the fabulous Best of Women’s Fiction podcast where Sonali Dev discusses The Vibrant Years and more: HERE.
Have you read The Vibrant Years? What did you think? Did it satisfy you or were you left wishing for more? What are some similar books you’ve read?
Until next time, Happy Reading!
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