Chicken in Cashew Sauce

Fragrant and delicious!

We were in London over Easter and enjoyed Indian meals three times during one week.  You can get some of the best Indian food in the world in London.  So, now we are craving curries and decided we would make some for ourselves.  This is the first one.  And it is very good!  Will be making it again.
Super easy to make, too. (But you need a food processor.)

---Barbara

Chicken in Cashew Sauce
(adapted from Best-ever Curry Cookbook by Mridula Baljekar)

Serves 4

2 onions
2 T. tomato paste
1.5 t. garam masala
1 t. crushed garlic
1 t. chili powder
juice of one lemon
1/4 t. ground turmeric
1 t. salt
1 T. plain yogurt
2 T. vegetable oil
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
plus extra cilantro for garnish
2 T. sultanas (golden raisins)
1 lb. chicken breasts, skinned and cubed
6 ounces white button mushrooms
1 1/4 cup water
1 cup basmati rice, cooked separately
french green beans, cooked separately, with garlic and red pepper flakes

Prep your ingredients and get them ready ahead of time.

You can cook the rice and this dish in about the same amount of time.

Start the rice, per the instructions on the package.  Usually you rinse the rice, let it soak, and then cook for 15 minutes and sit for another 10 before fluffing it and serving.

In a large food processor, blend the onions for 1 minute until liquefied.  Add the tomato paste, cashew nuts, garam masala, garlic, chili powder, lemon juice, turmeric, salt and yogurt to the onions and process for another 1 - 1.5 minutes.

In a large non-stick saute pan with a well fitting lid, heat the oil until shimmering, then lower the heat to medium and carefully pour in the onion and spice mixture from the food processor.  Fry gently, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes, lowering the heat if necessary.

Season the chicken cubes lightly with salt.

Add the fresh cilantro, raisins and chicken to the pan and continue to stir-fry for another minute.

Add the mushrooms, pour in the measured water and bring to a simmer.

Cover and cook over low heat for about 8 - 10 minutes.

Start the french green beans

Check to see if the chicken is fully cooked and the mushrooms are cooked but still firm.

Uncover and cook for another few minutes to let the sauce thicken.

Add more cilantro to the pan.

Add a generous portion of rice, ladle in a generous portion of sauce with chicken, add green beans on the side.

Add a few cashews and raisins to garnish, if desired.

---Barbara