Chicken Gravy

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 1/2 kg (washed,marinated and boiled)
• Oil - 5 to 6 Tea spoons
• Sompu - 1/4 tea spoon
• Jeera Seeds - 1/4 tea spoon
• Chakka (cinnamon) - 1 to 2 pieces
• Cloves - 5 to 6
• Onions - 2 - Big -Chopped
• Tomatoes - 2 - Medium - Finely chopped
• Green chillies - 2 - Make a slit in the middle
• Garlic - 7 to 9 pieces
• Ginger - a medium size piece ( peel off and chop into small pieces. approx. 11 pieces)
• Curry leaves - 1 stem
• Coriander - As required 
• Cashew nuts- 6 to 7
• Chilli powder - 2 tea spoons
• Dhaniya powder - 2 1/2 tea spoons
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Tea spoon
• Garam Masala Powder - 1 tea spoon
• Ajinomotto - 2 pinches
• Salt - To taste

Procedure for Marination:

• Take washed chicken in a bowl.
• Add 1/4 tea spoon turmeric powder, 1/2 tea spoon chilli powder, 1 tea spoon dhaniya powder, 1/4 tea spoon garam masala powder and 1 tea spoon salt, mix them well along with the chicken and leave the mixture aside for 1 hour.

Procedure for making chicken Gravy:

• After one hour, just heat 1 tea spoon of oil in a pan and add few curry leaves and later add the marinated chicken and fry it for 2 minutes.
• Later on add water and allow chicken to boil. (Normally it will take 15 to 20 minutes to boil).
• Meanwhile, prepare masala. Take chopped onions, ginger, garlic, cashew nuts, corriander and grind the ingredients well as a fine paste.
• Now heat pan with oil. Add sompu, jeera seeds, cloves and cinnamon sticks (chakka). Once they splutter, add few chopped onions,slit green chillies and Curry leaves.
• Later on add the paste which has been ground already. Fry it well for 5 to 7 minutes. Once done, add finely chopped tomatoes, chilli powder, Dhaniya Powder, Turmeric Powder, Ajinomotto and stir the mixture till the oil comes out of masala and also the masala should leave the borders of the pan.
• Later add boiled chicken, along with the water in which the chicken has been boiled. Add some more water if needed.
• Now add salt and adjust spice according to your taste. Allow the whole curry to boil till the gravy turns thick.
• Finally add garam masala powder, stir well for 2 minutes and switch off the stove. Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve hot with steamed rice.
• Also serves as a good combination with Dosa, Idly, Poori, Chapati.

* Quantity of coriander powder should be double the quantity of chilli powder. Garam Masala should be half of the quantity of chilli powder. Dont use excess turmeric powder. Follow these measures while marinating as well as while preparing gravy.
* I have not used coconut in this dish.
* Instead of using coconut, am using cashew nuts for gravy purpose. If needed coconut milk can be used.