Creamy Chicken Curry

This is one creamy chicken curry without coconut milk or cream. I've used cashew nuts for making the gravy thick and creamy. It adds to the taste too. It was a great side for appam and also for ghee rice. 

You need

1. Cinnamon - 1 small stick
2. Cardamom - 3
3. Bay leaves - 1/2 of 1
4. Cloves - 4
5. Chicken - 500 gms (cut into medium size pieces)
6. Onion - 4 medium
7. Ginger - 1 small piece (2 tsp when chopped)
8. Garlic - 2 cloves
9. Green chilli - 4
10. Coriander powder - 3 tsp
11. Pepper powder - 1 tsp
12. Tomato - 2
13. Cashew nuts - 15 nos.
14. Oil for sauteeing
15. Boiled water (as required)
16. Salt to taste

Method

• Soak cashew nut in water for 30 minutes
• Heat a thick bottomed vessel
• Add little oil. When it becomes hot add sliced onion, chopped ginger, garlic and green chilli
• Saute until it turns pink and transparent.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool
• Once cool take half of this mix, and grind to get a fine paste adding enough water.
• Again keep the vessel on flame, add little oil and ingredients from 1 to 4
• Add the chicken pieces. 
• Saute until all juice that oozes out from chicken dries up.
• Add coriander powder and pepper powder. Saute for 10-15 seconds
• Add onion paste and remaining half of sauteed onion. If the gravy seems thick add boiled water.
• Add chopped tomato. Add salt to taste
• Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes on low flame.
• During this time grind soaked cashew nuts into a fine paste adding enough water.
• After 20 minutes open the lid, add this cashew paste, mix well. Simmer for 2 minutes and switch off
• Serve with appam or rice