Coconut-Cashew Chicken Curry.

"Coconut-Cashew Chicken Curry" ... sharing my very own recipe of delicious chicken curry prepared with addition of Fresh Coconut Gratings and spices with all of my friends here ... tastes simply crunchy and scrumptious when served with parathas/ naan/ pulav ... Yummilicious ........ 

** During childhood I had often eaten a curry prepare with fresh coconut gratings and loved the crunch in the taste. But somehow, the recipe was lost and I have been trying it recollect it for the past few weeks, so that I can prepare the same again. Finally I managed to prepare the dish recollecting the ingredients and the curry was simply awesome. This is a medium spicy chicken curry that tastes best when served with parathas/naan/ roti as the gravy is of thick consistency. However, you can serve it with spiced pulav or biryani if you want to eat something of spicier combo dish. I will not run into any other details here, but will straight away share this awesome recipe with all my friends. Do try it out, it is simply mouthwatering. We relished it the first day with parathas and the next day with spicy pulav and it tasted awesome in both combos. 

** Here is my own method for preparing "Coconut-Cashew Chicken Curry" ... My Style ...

** Ingredients : 

Chicken : 600 – 700 gms pieces of your choice. 

Salt : 1 tsp 

Turmeric/Haldi Powder : pinch 

Kashmiri Red Chilly Powder : 1+1 tsp 

Onion/Piyav/Kanda : 1 large sized chopped fine. 

Curry Leaves/Karbevu/Kadipatta : 8-10 fresh keaves 

Coconut/Soyi : 2 cups freshly grated (white part only) 

Coriander/Kothimbir/Dhania Leaves : 2-3 tblsp finely chopped. 

Pudina/Mint Leaves : 1 tblsp finely chopped.

Butter/Loni : one small lemon sized ball. 

Oil / Tel : 2 tblsp 

Ghee/ Toop : 2 tblsp 

Salt to taste 

** To fry Dry : 

Methi/Fenugreek Seeds : ¼ tsp 

Coriander/Dhania/Kothimbir Powder : 2 tsp 

Cumin/Jeera Powder : 1 tsp 

Fennel/Badisep/Saunf Powder : ¼ tsp 

Goda Masala Powder : 1 tblsp 

OR 

Garam Masal Powder : 1 tblsp 

Kashmiri Red Chilly Powder : 4 tblsp 

** Masala to be fried for grinding : 

Oil : 2-3 tsp 

Onion/Piyav/Kanda : 1 large sized chopped fine 

Fresh Turmeric Root/Amba Haldi/Tarne Haldi Mande : 2 inch piece grated. 

OR 

Turmeric/Haldi Powder : ½ tsp 

Ginger/Adrak/Alley : 1 inch piece grated 

Garlic/Losun/Lehsun : 8-10 peeled and chopped fine. 

Coconut/Soyi : 1 cup freshly grated (white part only) 

Tamarind/Chinchama/Imly : a small marble sized ball 

** For the Cashew Nut paste : 

Cashew Nuts /Kajjubi : 1 cup 

Hot Water : 1 cup 

** Clean, wash and pat dry chicken pieces and pat them dry. Add in salt, turmeric powder and kashmiri red chilly powder. Mix well, cover and keep it ready aside for about 30 minutes. 

** In a thick bottomed kadai fry dry methi seeds for a minute, then add in coriander powder, cumin powder, goda masala powder, fennel powder and red kashmiri chilly powder and fry together for about 2-3 minutes, till it’s just about warm, remove and keep this ready aside. 

** In the same kadai add in the oil, when hot add onion and fry till color changes slightly, then add in grated turmeric root/amba haldi (or haldi powder), ginger and garlic and continue frying for 2-3 minutes. Remove and when slightly cooled put it in mixer grinder along with a small marble sized tamarind and grind to a smooth paste.

** When the paste is ground, add in the fried masala powder and further grind till you get a very smooth paste. The masala should be ground to a very fine paste. Remove and keep it aside. 

** In a bowl add in cashew nut with hot water, cover and keep aside for 20 minutes. Put the cashews along with the water in which it is soaked in grinder and grind to a very smooth powder. Remove and keep it ready aside. 

** In a thick bottomed kadai add in the chicken pieces along with one cup of water and cook till 80% done. Add in more water if necessary only. Keep it ready aside. 

** In a thick kadai add in both ghee and oil, when hot add in the finely chopped onion and fry till it just changes colour to light brown, add curry leaves, fry for a minute then add fresh coconut gratings and fry on low heat for 3-4 minutes. Do not allow the coconut to get browned or else it will turn bitter. 

** Add the ground coconut masala and fry well for another 2-3 minutes. Add a cup of water and bring to a boil, then add the cooked chicken pieces along with the remaining water in it, salt to taste (remember we have already added to chicken pieces, so add accordingly) and mix well, let cook till chicken is done. Now add the finely ground cashew nut paste and mix well. Cover and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. 

** Mix the curry in between to avoid it being burnt and do not add much water as this is a thick gravy based curry. Add in the finely chopped coriander and pudina leaves and mix well. Lastly add in the butter, cover with a tight lid and keep the curry aside to get infused in its flavour for about 25-30 minutes and then it is ready 

"Coconut-Cashew Chicken Curry" is done and ready to be served. You can serve this dish with any dish of your choice. The curry is of medium spice level and will not taste great if you make it spicy, so you can instead serve it with spiced pulav/rice or biryani. But tastes best when served with roti/paratha/naan etc. Do try it out and relish it with your family and friends. 

** Note : I have used fresh turmeric roots/amba haldi/tarne haldi mande which gives out a lovely colour, aroma and is good for health and is also in season during winter. If not available you can always add in turmeric powder and prepare the dish. 

** The are many more “Chicken” Recipes in my Blog, do go through the common link shared below and try out that which you would like to relish with your family and friends …

https://gayathrifoodbytes.blogspot.com/search?q=chicken

** An Earnest Request : There are many more recipes of different types in the blog. For all my Recipes, use the search option or the label section in the Blog. If you are still not able to find it or have a query, please leave a message in comment section or mail me the same. I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible. Do try out various types of dishes included in the Blog and Enjoy them with your family and friends and do give me a feedback if possible.

** I am happy to inform you that I have also started a food group for by the name "KONKANI DELICACIES" which is over and year old, with about 23 K strong members. It is a pleasure to inform that you will find in the group many more recipes posted by our expert members and you too can share some of your own. The link to the group is posted on the left side of the blog page. Do join us in our culinary journey. I strongly believe in Sharing and always endorse that "Sharing Is Caring" Thank You.