Alma Bax Trying to make your own meals at home can be a daunting task. Busy days can overtake your schedule, and you find yourself with little time to cook. There are so many more convenient options out there than cooking for yourself: frozen dinners, pre-made sauces, and convenient ready-to-eat foods are readily available, and you can just have them ready in a matter of minutes. But what if you want to have a healthier option? What if you want to cook your own food from scratch?
Chicken has long been a mainstay in the dinner table. Of course, when we think of chicken, we think of meat, poultry, and poultry products. But in this recipe, we’re going to incorporate a surprising ingredient… cashew nuts. They’re a great source of healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. They’re also packed with protein. So, what’s not to like?
This post is going to be a long one, but it is also a very simple one. I enjoy cooking, but my cooking skills are limited. I use the same recipes over and over and over again. I am not a master chef, but I am trying to learn. This blog is about cooking, but not food in the kitchen. It is about food in life.
Naan, roti (chapathi), poori, ghee fried rice, and pulav work nicely with this chicken in creamy cashew nut tomato sauce. Tomatoes, cashew nut paste, single cream, and spices make up the sauce, which is smooth and creamy.
The chicken is marinated in spices and cooked in the oven or in a skillet before being added to the creamy tomato sauce gravy. The gravy is prepared using tomato puree, spices, and cream, as well as butter.
Butter panner, paneer koftas, and veggie koftas may all be used in the same way.
This curry (sauce) is made with single cream and butter and has a buttery, silky, creamy feel. It has a moderate, peppery, and sweet flavor.
Ingredients
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- 400g chicken with bones
- 10 cashew nuts (paste)
Marinade
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- 2 tsp. oil
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 tsp ginger and garlic paste
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 cup curd (thick) (100 ml)
- 2 tsp lemon juice (optional)
- season with salt to taste
a curry sauce made with tomatoes
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- 1 tbsp. oil
- 500 gms tomatoes (roughly chopped)
- 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 tsp ginger and garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 green cardamoms
- – 1 bay leaf
Sauce or gravy
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp. oil
- 1/2 teaspoon black cumin seeds
- Cloves — 4 cloves
- 4 green cardamoms
- 2 tbsp. curd
- 3 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 2 to 3 teaspoons sugar
- season with salt to taste
- a pinch of color (optional)
- 150 ml cream
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp kasoori methi
- 1 cup of water
- 1 teaspoon kasoori methi powder
Method
Marinate
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- In a mixing dish, combine all of the marinade ingredients, stir to combine, and refrigerate for 3 to overnight. The curd should be thick and creamy.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes, then put the chicken pieces on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until just cooked. In between, turn the chicken piece.
- When the chicken is done, set aside the pieces. Only 90% of it should be cooked, with the rest staying in the sauce. We want the chicken to be cooked all the way through.
a curry sauce made with tomatoes
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- Roughly chop the tomatoes and form a fine paste with them; set aside.
- Soak cashew nuts in warm water for 30 minutes to an hour, then blend with 30ml water to create a smooth paste.
- Preheat the oil in the vessel or kadai, then add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the cumin seeds, green cardamom, bay leaf, tomato paste, ginger and garlic paste, chilli powder, cumin powder, 150ml water, salt, and mix well. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Cook for 15 minutes on low heat, until it begins to leave oil, then adding the curd and 50ml of water. Mix well so there are no lumps.
- In a basin, sift (strainer) the tomato mixture and set it aside.
- The foundation for the tomato curry is ready.
Tomato sauce with cream
- Heat a second pot, add the butter and oil, and when heated, add the green cardamom, cumin seeds, and cloves, sauté for 5 seconds, then add the tomato curry mixture and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat with the tomato ketchup and sugar.
- Cook for 10 minutes on medium heat with the cashew nut (kaju) paste and 100ml water.
- Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat and 10 minutes on low heat with the lid closed, adding the cooked chicken pieces and the leftover marinade and its juice from a tray to the curry.
- A nice sauce consistency should emerge. In between, stir. Taste and inspect the sauce.
- If the sauce is too sour, add a bit more sugar and ketchup and continue to simmer until the sauce is thick and smooth.
- Now add color (optional), kasoori methi powder (crushed in hand), cream, and mix to combine. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, then reduce to a low heat and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- The sauce is shiny, silky, and oh-so-delicious. Turn it off. Allow it to cool for a few minutes.
- The sauce is sweet, silky, and somewhat acidic. Serve with naan, roti, or rice and take pleasure in this meal.
Notes
- The chicken pieces, together with the liquid and oil remaining on the tray, should be added to the gravy.
- For color, tomato puri (ready-made, concentrated) may be used.
- If the sauce becomes too thick and dry, add milk and continue to boil it.
- If you don’t have an oven, cook the chicken in a pan with the lid closed until the marinade is cooked and the chicken is thoroughly covered. You may use any tandoori chicken recipe that uses the steaming technique rather than the oven.
The summer’s heat has been tough on my skin, but that’s no reason not to enjoy it! Today I’m making a simple, yet satisfying meal that will help me recover from the heat.. Read more about butter chicken with cashew paste and let us know what you think.
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