Cashew Chicken Curry.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Organic Chicken Thighs Cut into Bite Sized Pieces
• 3/4 cup Freshly Grated Coconut (do NOT use the dried variety)
• 12 Large Whole Peeled Cloves of Garlic
• 2 inch Piece of Fresh Ginger
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Coriander Seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Cumin Seeds
• 1 Whole Dried Red Chili (up to 4 may be used depending if you like your curry spicy)
• 8 Whole Cloves
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 cup Cashews
• 1 Large Onion Chopped
• 4 tablespoons Oil
• 1 Can of Light Coconut Milk
• Salt to Taste (I suggest a TBS or 2)

Directions

This recipe is one of the BEST recipes in my archives. One of the best I have ever made- and I am SO excited to be sharing it. We LOVE love love love Indian Food. And this recipe is the first Indian Curry that I successfully made several years ago. I spent several months trying to understand curry.. and I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I made big pots of gross bitter tasting- over spiced and often watery Curry. I shouldn’t even refer to it as curry.. it was anything but.

This recipe  holds a special place for me.. it was the the first time I did everything just right.  I got it.  Through this recipe  I gained a better understanding for the process of making Incredible Indian Food- and it gave me the confidence to try more dishes (which I will be sharing in the future- as I make them again and have the chance to write everything down

You WILL enjoy the process of making this dish. The smells that are going to come from your kitchen will put you in a very happy peaceful place.

1. In a Large Frying Pan dry roast  (in other words DO NOT add ANY oil)  the Garlic, Ginger, Coconut, and Chopped Onion. Add the Coriander Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Red Chile Pepper, Cloves, Cinnamon and Cashews. Roast 15-20 minutes.  Cook over medium heat. (NOT high) you do not want to burn anything.
2. Pour this roasted mixture into a food processor to create a paste. Add to the food processor the can of Coconut Milk to thin it out. I prefer using the Light Coconut Milk Variety. This mixture will become your base for the curry.
3. Add the Oil to the frying pan- Heat it slightly and then add back the mixture from the food processor.
4. To this mixture add your Chicken Pieces cover and Cook. You May Also add an additional half cup of Whole Cashews. (I always do this!) Start by adding a TBS of Salt. Give it some time to cook- and adjust this amount later if you want more.
5. The Key to GOOD curry is allowing it to cook over medium-low heat for a good period of time. Give this Curry an hour or so- it will repay your patience with outstanding flavor and an incredible smelling kitchen.
6. You may add Water or additional Coconut Milk if you would like to thin the curry out more. The onions and Fresh Coconut are considered thickening Agents and Will absorb some of the liquids added. If you accidentally add more water or coconut milk you can correct the problem by allowing the Curry to Boil down with the heat turned up higher and the lid off.  Give it a taste before serving- and add more salt if it needs it!
7. Serve this Curry with Basmati Rice and ENJOY

All of these spices can be found at Local Indian Stores. I suggest you check one out- they are really fun and the spices will be much cheaper than most supermarkets. Finding freshly grated Coconut can be tough- I found bags of freshly grated Frozen at my Indian Store- which made this recipe really easy. You Can also buy a whole coconut and grate it yourself. Its really important that you do not use the dehydrated variety- using it will yield a watery curry with odd chunks of coconut. Not appetizing.