Kerala Restaurant Style Chicken Kurma

Ingredients (Serves 8)
Recipe Courtesy – Adapted from Swad Cuisine

1. Chicken, bone-in – 1.5 kg, cut into medium small pieces
   Turmeric powder – 3/4 tsp
   Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
   Salt – As required
2. Whole cashews – 20
   Green chilies – 3
3. Coconut oil – 3 tbsp
4. Fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp
5. Onion – 2 medium-small, thinly sliced
   Green chilies – 3, diagonally sliced
   Curry leaves – A few
6. Butter – 1 tbsp
7. Whole spices – green cardamom – 5, cloves – 7, cinnamon stick – 1 inch broken, whole black pepper – 1/2 tsp
8. Ginger and garlic, crushed – 1.5 tbsp each
   Curry leaves – A few
9. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
10. Coriander powder – 2 tsp
    Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
11. Thin coconut milk – 1.5 cup
12. Thick coconut milk – 1/3 cup
    Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
    Garam masala powder – 1/4 tsp
13. Coconut oil – 2 – 3 tsp
14. Shallots – 5, thinly sliced
    Curry leaves – 1 sprig
    Cashews – 10Method

1. Marinate chicken pieces with turmeric powder, pepper powder and salt.

2. Soak 20 cashews and 3 green chilies in hot water for 20 minutes. Grind to a fine paste in the small jar of a blender adding little water.

3. Heat 3 tbsp coconut oil in a pan and add 1/2 tsp fennel seeds. Cook for a few seconds till fragrant. Add sliced onion, pinch of salt, 3 sliced green chilies and 3 – 4 curry leaves. Cook till onion turns light golden (do not brown). Switch off the flame. Set aside until it cools down completely. Grind in the small jar of a blender without adding water.

4. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a wide and heavy bottomed pot over medium flame. Add whole spices numbered 7 and cook for a few seconds till fragrant. Add marinated chicken and cook for 4 – 5 minutes. Next add crushed ginger-garlic and continue to cook for a few minutes till the raw smell of ginger and garlic disappears. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 2 tsp coriander powder. Cook for a few minutes. Add ground onion paste and cashew paste. Mix well. Cook for a few minutes. Add thin coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add garam masala powder and mix well. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes till chicken pieces are completely cooked through. Bring down the heat to low. Add 1/3 cup thick coconut milk, 1/4 tsp garam masala powder and 1/2 tsp pepper powder. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes over low heat and switch off the flame.

5. Heat 2 – 3 tsp coconut oil in a small pan. Add sliced shallots and stir till light golden. Add cashews and curry leaves. Cook till shallots turn golden. Pour over the prepared chicken curry. Keep covered for 15 minutes and mix gently. Let the curry rest for 1 hr before serving. It tastes best with appam, idiyappam, chapathi and pathiri. Enjoy!!