Butter Chicken Ravioli

If you are some sort of southeast Asian immigrant in a western country, I'm sure a good chunk of you can share this tragic experience - your parents don't like pasta but you do. So if you live at home, you don't really eat pasta unless you either make it for yourself only or you go out to eat it. This recipe is what I call compromise. Cheesy spinach stuffed ravioli in a classic butter chicken sauce. I don't know why hasn't been done sooner - butter chicken sauce is the ultimate pasta sauce. Tomatoey, garlicky, buttery, creamy, a little spicy. What more could you ask for?

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Butter Chicken Ravioli

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Yield: 3-4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 chicken thighs (about 130 g), finely cubed

• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated, divided

• 1 tsp ginger, grated

• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

• 1 tbs plain yogurt

• 1 tbs lime juice

• 1 green chili, minced (optional)

• 3 tbs olive oil

• 1 onion, finely minced

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1/2 tsp chili powder

• 1/8 tsp cinnamon

• Salt to taste

• 2 tbs tomato paste

• 2 tbs sundried tomato pesto (sub more tomato paste if you cannot find)

• 1 tsp white sugar

• 1 cup water

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi), crushed

• 1 tbs butter

• 1 package (500 g) spinach and cheese ravioli, cooked according to package directions

• Fresh cilantro for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. To a bowl, add the chicken, half of the garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, yogurt, lime juice, green chili and a pinch of salt. Mix well and let set aside until ready to use.

2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Once hot, add the onion.  Sauté for 3-5 mins until translucent, then add the remaining t garlic, garam masala, chili powder, cinnamon, 1/2 tsp of salt, and sauté another 30-45 seconds, stirring the whole time.

3. Add the chicken to the pan and sauté until it is almost fully cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste, pesto and sugar and stir until it starts to bubble, 2-3 mins. Add the water and reduce the heat slightly. Allow the sauce to come up to a simmer for 4-5 minutes.

4. Once the sauce has thickened slightly, stir in the heavy cream, dried fenugreek/ kasoori methi leaves and the butter. Allow to simmer for another 2-3 minutes then taste for salt and add more if desired. 

5. Stir in the cooked ravioli and simmer again for 5-6 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly and the ravioli has absorbed some of the sauce. Remove from heat and garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately.