Aromatic chicken curry for a party

I am back with a new post in just 3 days - isn't that a really good improvement for the resolution I made to myself . Pats on my shoulder for that :-) Thank god! I am still with the same enthusiasm and interest I had during my previous post.

Friday evening:
As S reached home from work, I was ready with his cup of hot chai and pakoras. (Generally I start making the chai only after he arrives)

He went on "Whats the matter? Chai is ready so soon and also garam-garam (hot) Pakora."

"Nothing!" I replied and winked.

After few minutes........

"Sigh! Ahem!" I said sitting on the couch, sipping my cup of Chai. (No response from S)

"Louder siiiigggh!" (Again no response)

"uuh! oooph! ooh! (Louder)" - Finally he noticed my gestures after flipping through all the channels on the Tele.

"OK - what are you trying to convey now?" A pretty direct question from S. He always catches me when I try to get smart he he!

"Well! umm ! ok! I dont have really good glasswares to present my blog pictures" I replied with a innocent tone.

"I knew it honey, when my chai was ready well before the actual time! So where do you wanna go now?"

"Kohls! Bed,bath n beyond!" I yelled back showing all my 32 teeth.

We had been to Kohls and Bed, bath n beyond yesterday to buy few crockery. Kohls had gorgeous collections of the crockery and cutlery that comes in Food network. I wanted to pick everything on the rack (eeeeeeeeeeeh!!!) and it was so bloody tempting and such a lovely treat for the eyes. I was on girlie treat for myself so I went on slow-pace shopping. When I saw fumes coming out of his ears, I realized that its high time I wrap my shopping. S went really wild for making him wait for long in those shops.

When I was billing my item I jokingly said "It isn't easy to be married nah?!!".

Ooops! his fumes became more hot and steamy that the shop's smoke-alarm started screaming aloud. Well, it wasn't a right time to rub him on the wrong side.

I am sure when you read this, every one of us will be connected to a very same situation in life. :-)

Here is a sneak peek of the stuffs I bought from there.



Since I really tortured him (yeah, that's the word he refers when I take him out for shopping) yesterday, I wanted to cook something authentic and yummy for his taste buds on Saturday. I made appam with chicken curry for breakfast. A perfect comfort food for the birds who left their nest years ago. This is goes as a little bribe for my loving, to-an-extent patient and of course amazing husband.



Since any chicken curry tastes brilliant the next day, I made the chicken curry on friday night itself after we returned from my shopping expedition. I had already soaked the rice and lentils in water that morning. I made the batter that night and left them in the oven to ferment. (ofcourse oven wasn't turned on!)

Appam recipe can be found here.

The post for today is a deliciously warm and tasty chicken curry with Indian spices.
I prefer the gravy to be bit-watery as its served with appam. So if you guys want it to-be thick, reduce the amount of water accordingly.


Ingredients

• 1lb chicken breast
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 onions
• 2 green chillies
• 1-2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 3-4 tsp coriander powder
• 1-2tsp ginger-garlic paste
  
• 1-2 tsp coconut (dessicated or fresh)
• 1 tbs yogurt / curd (low fat or fat free)
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 1-2 sprig coriander
• 1-2 cup water
• 1tbs oil
• Salt to taste

Masala

• 2 cardamons
• 2 cloves
• 1/2" cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp fennel seeds

Method

• Grind the onions, tomatoes and green chillies to a fine paste. Keep aside.
• Cut and clean the chicken into small chunks. Keep them aside in a bowl.
• Heat the oil on medium high in a cooking vessel. Once the oil is heated up, add the masala and cook for a min.
• Add the above made paste and salt in the tempered oil and cook on low flame for 10-15 min. Cook till the oil separates from the tomato-onion-green chilly paste. Now add the turmeric, chilli and coriander powder. Saute till the raw smell disappears.
• Throw in the chicken chunks and cook for another 5-10mins. Add the ginger-garlic paste now and cook till the raw smell disappears. Pour in the water and tear the curry leaves into the gravy and cook-covered for 15-20 min. Once they chicken is done, sprinkle the shredded coconut and mix in the yogurt/curd. Check for the seasoning and add salt, if needed.
• Garnish with finely chopped coriander.