Recipe: Cashew nut butter chicken

Ingredients

250ml (1 cup) plain yoghurt
45ml (3 tbsp) ready-made butter chicken spice
750g chicken thigh fillets, skin and bones removed, roughly chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 onion, chopped
3cm fresh ginger, grated
1 green chilli, seeded and chopped
30g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter
3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
5ml (1 tsp) paprika
15ml (1 tbsp) garam masala
1 x 410g tin chopped tomatoes
250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
250ml (1 cup) water
125ml (½ cup) fresh cream
100g unsalted cashew nuts

To serve

Fresh coriander
½ small red onion, finely chopped
Poppadoms or steamed basmati rice
Fresh red chilli, sliced

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.

• Combine the yoghurt, spice paste, chicken and seasoning in a large bowl. Coat well and set aside for 15 minutes.

• Place the onion, ginger and chilli in a food processor and blend to form a paste.

• Melt half of the butter in a frying pan over medium heat and add the cardamom pods, paprika and garam masala. Cook for 1 minute then add the onion mixture and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

• Add the tomatoes, stock and water. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly and transfer to a food processor. Blend until smooth and return the sauce to the pan.

• Place the chicken on a baking tray, season well and grill until the chicken is cooked and slightly charred, turning halfway, 12 – 15 minutes.

• Add the chicken to the tomato sauce together with any juices. Add the cream and remaining butter, and heat through.

• Grind the cashew nuts with 15 – 30ml (1 – 2 tbsp) water in a food processor to form a paste. Stir into the curry and simmer for a further 15 minutes.

• Serve the curry with plenty of fresh coriander, onion, poppadoms or steamed rice and sliced red chilli.

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