In continuation with my dumpling project(where I take dishes and translate them into little parcels of love and joy), I wanted to try merging butter chicken with potstickers, just because I felt like the two could have a lot of potential to really compliment one another. So we have the chicken thighs that are marinated in the butter chicken spices as well as tomato paste, and we take that same spice blend and emulsify it with more butter just to add in more flavor. For the garnishes, we have a minted cream puree, as well as fenugreek leaf-lime compressed cucumber ribbons. A dear friend, Shari (also known as the Spiced Up Mom!), actually introduced me to the usage of fenugreek leaves in butter chicken, because it will give the curry that restaurant-y flavor that is lacking in home cooked renditions.

For the wrapper:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup hot water
1 teaspoon salt

Combine into a dough and separate into 16 pieces. Roll each one out to an even circle.

For the spice blend:
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
3/4 teaspoons clove
1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom
2 teaspoons coriander
1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
a pinch of salt
4 tablespoons ghee

Toast spices together in ghee.

For the filling:
2 tablespoons spice blend
1 minced shallot
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
salt
ghee
water

Sweat out some shallot in the spiced ghee. Mince up the chicken thighs and toss with other ingredients(sans ghee and water). Distribute about 1 tablespoon of filling per wrapper, and fold into triangular parcels. Sear in ghee in a non-stick pan and deglaze the pan with water. Cover the pan and allow to simmer down for 3 minutes with the cover, then allow the water to cook out.

For the emulsion:
remaining spiced ghee
chicken stock
cold butter; cubed

Combine three parts of the spiced ghee with one part chicken stock. Emulsify in butter to that mixture, one cube at a time, until the mixture is thickened and glossy. You should need about 2 parts of the ghee/chicken mixture to 1 part butter. Transfer to a piping bag or squeeze bottle.

For the cucumber ribbons:
1 cucumber
salt
fenugreek leaves
juice from 2 limes.

Roll cucumber in salt and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Simmer fenugreek leaves with lime juice and salt. Pour over the cucumber and allow that to sit for another 20 minutes. Shave the cucumber into ribbons.

For the mint cream:
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons chopped mint
a pinch of salt

Puree together. Transfer to a squeeze bottle or piping bag.

To garnish:
Microherbs