SPICY CHICKEN CURRY

This dish has always been at the top of my list of favorite dishes of all time. It has this great, rich and creamy gravy made by using cashews and milk and has a mild spiciness combined with the beautiful flavor of cinnamon.

It is cooked with a slightly different technique than the usual chicken curries as the chicken and the gravy are cooked separately and then later combined together.

It is quite easy to cook and is an instant family favorite. One can even make this dish for get-togethers as it has a restaurant quality texture and taste. 

INGREDIENTS

MARINATION

• 1 kg chicken
• 1/2 tsp chilly powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp curd

GRAVY

• 10 Cashew nuts
• 1/2 cup milk
• 8 to 10 curry leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder (dalchini)
• 10 cloves (laung)
• 2 tbsp ginger - garlic paste
• 2 big onions (chopped)
• 1 big tomato (chopped)
• 1 1/2 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilly powder
• Salt to taste
• Ghee (optional)
• Oil
• Coriander leaves for garnish

STEPS

• Soak cashew nuts in 1/2 cup milk and keep aside.
• Dry roast 2 tsp cinnamon powder, 12 - 15 curry leaves and 10 cloves and keep aside.

• Marinate chicken in marination ingredients and let it marinate for 30 mins.
• Heat oil in a kadhai / pan and add the onions. Cook till the onions turn soft and transparent.
• Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for another 5 mins.
• Add the coriander powder, cumin powder, pepper powder and salt and mix well.
• After 2 mins add the tomatoes and after mixing well, reduce the flame, cover and let it cook.  After 8 - 10 mins once the oil separates from the spices and tomatoes switch off the flame at transfer the contents of the kadhai into a blender.
• Add the cashews and the milk in the blender.
• Add the dry roasted cinnamon, curry leaves and cloves too in the blender.
• Blend all of it into a fine paste. Keep aside.

• Heat some ghee/ oil in a pan. Keep the flame on high and drop in the marinated chicken.
• Stir fry the chicken on high heat till it releases water.
• Reduce the flame, cover and cook for 10 mins.
• After 10 mins once the chicken is cooked and soft, drop in the spice paste.

• Coat the chicken well in this paste (add more water as required to make the gravy thinner).
• Cover and let it simmer for 5 to 10 mins till the gravy starts to boil and gets the right consistency.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.