Nilgiri Chicken Gravy

Bored of cooking and serving the same chicken curries over and over again? Nilgiri chicken is for you....give a try and you'll never regret. This recepi hails from Nilgiri hills in India. Nilgiri chicken curry is a juicy pieces of chicken simmered in assorted blend of spices. One of the best chicken gravy i ever tasted.

Complement well with pulao or briyani. A great Sunday lunch that would make you asking for more. Indian curries are well known for their spicyness which derived from well blended spices and herbs. Try it for a Sunday lunch and emerge as a domestic goddess.


Ingredients

1 kg chicken, cleaned
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 large onions
1 large tomato
1 1/2 tbsp yogurt
1 tsp lime juice
salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp oil
3 cups water

 Roast
20-25 mint leaves
8-10 curry leaves
8 shallots
3 green chillies
3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp oil

Dry Roast
1 tbsp groundnuts
7 cashew nuts
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cinnamon
3 cardamom pods
1 star anise
6 tbsp grated fresh coconut


Methods.

Place a frying pan on a low flame and add all the dry roast ingredients. Dry roast for 5 mins. Cool it before grinding to make a paste

Add 1 tbsp oil, fry the mint leaves,curry leaves,shallots,green chillies and chopped coriander leaves for 4-5 mins. Grind and make a paste

Heat oil in a in large wok/pan with medium flame add curry leaves and saute. Add in the onion and fry till wilted. Next goes ginger garlic paste and stir for 2-3 mins. Add red chilly powder,turmeric powder and tomatoes and fry for 4-5 mins

Add the ground paste and cook for 8 mins. Add yogurt,lime juice,chicken,salt and sugar. Cook for 6 mins without cover/lid

Add 3 cups of water and cook with cover/lid till the chicken tender and gravy thickens.

Garnish with roasted cashews and serve with pulao rice or briyani.


Notes 

• Some people don't like to introduce raw chicken meat into their gravy and i'm one of them. Coat chicken with 1 tsp turmeric and pinch of salt and deep fry for 6-8 mins before adding to the gravy and let it cook in the gravy till tender