Chicken Curry (with Coconut Milk)

 Ingredients

Chicken: 1 kg (washed, cut into bite sized pieces)

Yogurt: 1/2 cup (curd)

Lemon juice: 1/4 lemon

Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp

Coriander powder: 1 tbsp

Cumin powder: 1/4 tsp

Red Chili Powder: 1 1/2 tsp

Poppy seeds: 1 tbsp (soak in little milk and make paste)

Red Onion: 2 (large, finely chopped)

Garam masala powder: 1 cardamom, 1/2 " cinnamon and 5 cloves finely ground

Star anise: 1

Cinnamon: 1"

Thick coconut milk: 3/4 cup

Coriander leaves: 2 tbsps (finely chopped for garnish)

salt to taste

Oil: 2 tbsps

Make a paste:

Green chilies: 3

Ginger: 1 1/2" piece

Garlic: 6 cloves

 Method

Marinate the chicken in yogurt, coriander pwd, cumin pwd, turmeric pwd, lemon juice and half of the ground ginger-garlic-green chili paste for 10 mts.

Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add the star anise, cinnamon stick and chopped onions and fry for 4 mts. Add the remaining ground ginger-garlic-green chili paste and saute for 4 mts. Add red chili powder and mix.

Add the marinated chicken and cook on high heat for 4 mts, mixing once in a while.

Reduce to medium heat, add salt and poppy seeds paste and mix well. Let the chicken cook in this paste for 8-10 mts, uncovered. Cook till oil separates. Add 1 1/2 cups water and mix. Bring to a boil, reduce flame and cook for 13-14 mts.

Finally add garam masala pwd, mix well. Add thick coconut milk and cook on medium flame for 3-4 mts. Turn off heat and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Serve hot with white steamed rice, coconut rice, any flavored or rotis.