Chicken in Creamy Posto Cashew Gravy

We all love weekends. Why wont we? These two day though comes every week, but it makes us pray for it.  We quite literally pray for the week to end, so that we can sleep as long as we want, forget deadlines and targets and just laze around in our pajamas with our bottoms stuck to couch in from of the television. Well those were the days, when Saturdays would mean sleeping in late, a movie marathon followed by few drinks with friends and ended with a dine out or take away. Sundays would be the cleaning day and by that I mean the house, clothes, kitchen and yourself. 

Not so much now. You see when you are a mother of a 2 year old, you need to scratch the lazy and relaxing from you dictionary and with scratch I mean big black marks which in no circumstance would reveal what was written underneath.  Now my Sundays starts with meddling through my kitchen in the morning half asleep to prepare a breakfast, that wont end up on the walls or the floor or the couch. 

Although its hectic but I still live me my weekends. It means that I don't have to stick to my daily routine and take time doing things, coz the little one would be busy with his daddy dearest. Weekends also means that we must have non vegetarian food. A bongs Sunday is never complete without Mangsho Bhaat (meat and rice) in lunch, followed by leftovers in dinner with some bhaja.

I had a big load of posto (poppy seeds) lying in my kitchen shelf (I brought some and mom in law sent some) and I know that I have to use them in something other than in Alu Posto. So took it out and after staring it for a few seconds I knew that I had to use them with family favorite chicken. 

I used some cashew nuts to enhance the creamy and nutty flavor of posto. Of course being me I had to cheat to make it easy on me, so this gravy was done within 20 minutes. It was an instant hit and was finished even faster.

Here are the list of things you will need:

1 whole chicken (curry cut)

1/2 cup posto (poppy seeds)

3 large tomatoes chopped roughly

2 large onion chopped roughly

1/2 cup cashew nuts

1 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp sugar/honey

2 tsp garam masala powder

1 1/2 tsp red chili powder

2 tsp coriander powder

2 tbsp cream

salt to taste

Whole garam masala

Method:

Clean the chicken and keep them aside. In a heavy bottomed pan add oil and when it heats up add the chicken pieces. On medium heat brown them from all sides and once half done take them out.

In a microwave proof bowl add the onions, tomatoes, cashew nuts and posto and microwave them for 4-5 minutes. Now put all the ingredients in a blender and turn it into a smooth puree. You can skip the microwaving step and straight away blend the ingredients, I do it as it reduces the cooking time.

In the same pan add  whole garam masala  and when it starts crackling add all the spices except salt and sugar. Stir the spices for a minute and then add the posto and cashew nuts puree and mix it with the masalas. Add the salt and sugar. We use the sugar to cut through the acidity of the tomatoes. If you like the sourness you can reduce the amount of sugar or skip it completely.

On medium heat simmer the gravy, keep stirring in between. Add the chicken and if required a cup of water. Simmer till the chicken is done and the oil separates from the gravy.

Take it off heat and add the cream. Serve it with Roti, Naan or Steamed rice.