Chicken and Vegetable Stew with Coconut Milk

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 small star anise
• 10 cloves
• 3 green cardamom
• 2 inch cinnamon stick
• 1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• 2 to 5 green chillies
• 5 to 8 curry leaves
• 1 large red onion (chopped finely)
• 800 grams skinless whole chicken (curry cut)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• salt to taste
• 2 cups coconut milk (6 tbsp coconut powder in 2 cups warm water)
• 1 cup water (approx. enough to barely submerge all the contents in the pot)
• 1 large potato (chunked)
• 1 to 2 carrot (diced)
• 1/2 cup frozen or boiled green peas (soaked in water to bring to room temp)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 5 mini shallots (or half a medium onion, sliced)
• 8 whole cashews (broken)
• 3 green chillies (slit)
• 1 sprig curry leaves

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Prepare the stew ---

2. 2

   heat oil: Heat coconut oil in a deep stew pot on medium flame.

3. 3

   fry spices: Add all the whole spices and fry for a few seconds until fragrant.

4. 4

   fry: Add the ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and curry leaves and fry until the paste turns golden.

5. 5

   saute: Add the chopped onion and saute until translucent.

6. 6

   cook: Add the chicken along with salt and pepper.

7. 7

   cook: Cover the pot and cook on low to medium flame for 8 to 10 minutes stirring occasionally until all the chicken pieces have turned white.

8. 8

   cook: Open and pour the prepared coconut milk, water and chopped potatoes. Stir until everything is mixed well. Continue to stir to prevent the coconut milk from splitting. Stir until the stew warms up. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

9. 9

   cook: Add the chopped carrots and cook covered for 6 to 8 minutes.

10. 10

    cook: Add the thawed green peas and boil for 5 minutes.

11. 11

    mash: Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Use the back of the ladle to smash some of the potato chunks to add creaminess to the stew. Switch off and prepare the tempering.

12. 12

    --- Prepare the tempering ---

13. 13

    tadka: Heat the coconut oil in a small pan.

14. 14

    tadka: Add the sliced shallots and fry until golden.

15. 15

    tadka: Add the cashews, green chillies and some curry leaves. Fry until the onions are almost browned, the curry leaves are crispy and the cashews are golden.

16. 16

    tadka: Pour the tempering over the prepared chicken stew and stir it. Serve hot with appam or ghee rice or ari dosha!