An ideal non-veg dish that every woman love to try after marriage, is the Chicken curry. The Chicken curry is a versatile dish which you can have with rice, chapatis or any types of appam. Chicken curry could be made in different ways, but generally prepared easily at home using the onion tomato gravy.

Some use coconut while some do not. People those who do not like coconut paste can avoid it altogether in this curry too. But the coconut gives the thickness and richness to the chicken curry. Initially I used to prepare  chicken curry with coconut milk which gives a thin curry. That version will be shared with you later on. The method discussed here is the which is prepared in most of the homes. I have added some cashew nuts for extra richness for the gravy.

Chicken Curry with coconut
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes
Cuisine: South Indian
Serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken, cut in to medium sized pieces- 1 kg
Oil- 2 tablespoon
Cinnamon/ pattai- 1inch
Cloves/ grambu-2
Cardamom/ elam-3
Curry leaves- 1 strand
Onion, chopped-2 large
Ginger garlic paste/ finely chopped- 1½ tablespoon
Green chilli, slit-1
Tomato, chopped-2 large
Turmeric powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder- 1 tablespoon
Coriander powder- 1 tablespoon
Garam masala powder- 1 teaspoon
Coriander leaves, chopped- 1 tablespoon
Salt- to taste
Water- 2 cups

To grind as fine paste:
Coconut- less than 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts-6
Fennel seeds/ Sombu- 1 teaspoon
Peppercorns/ Milagu- 1/2 teaspoon

Chicken Curry Recipe

PROCEDURE:
  • You could prepare this chicken curry in pressure cooker as well as in normal pan.
  • Soak the cashew nuts in water just before start the preparations. If you forget to soak boil some water and allow to soak the nuts for 2-5 minutes.
  • Wash and clean the chicken; drain all the water and set aside.
  • Heat the vessel you planned to prepare the chicken curry and add the oil. Once the oil gets heated up add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom; fry in that oil till the aroma rises for about 2 minutes.
  • Add the curry leaves in that oil; add the chopped onion with a pinch of salt and cook on medium flame till the onion starts to get the brown colour. Getting the light brown colour is important for the taste of the chicken curry.
  • Now add the ginger garlic chopped/ paste and green chilli; roast in that same oil till the raw smell leaves for about a minute or two.
  • Add the chopped tomatoes and cook on medium flame till it becomes mushy.
  • Now add the masala such as turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder.
  • Roast the masala with the onion tomato mixture for a minute till the raw masala smell leaves.
  • Now add the chopped coriander leaves and mix well.
  • Now add the cleaned chicken pieces and salt. Mix well with a ladle and allow to coat the masala well and cook for a minute.
  • Now add 2 cups of water and close with a lid.
  • If you are pressure cooking, keep the chicken for 2 whistles; If you are cooking in normal pan close with a lid and cook till the chicken becomes soft and the oil separates on top of the curry.
  • Meanwhile prepare the coconut cashew paste by grinding coconut, soaked cashew nuts, fennel seeds and peppercorns. Pulse twice to powder the ingredients then add little water and grind it as a fine paste.
  • Once the pressure releases open the lid and add the ground masala paste and mix with a ladle.
  • Rinse the blender jar with half a cup of water and add that too with the chicken curry. If you feel the curry is still thick add half more cup of water.
  • Bring it to boil once the curry starts to bubble on top immediately switch off the gas. Do not over cook after adding the coconut paste.