Christmas chicken stew

Ingredients :

• 400gms - chicken in-bone stew cut

• 1 no - carrot

• 2 no - potatoes

• 1/2 cup - banana shallots or Asian shallots

• 2-3 - green chili slit

• 1 tbsp - finely chopped ginger

• 1/2 cup - coconut milk

• 1-2 tsp - raisins

• 3-4 tbsp - cashews

• 2-3 tsp - coconut oil

• 1 tbsp - vinegar

• As needed - Ghee

Spices

(Shop at ASAspice for all your spices)

• 2 - green cardamom

• 1 - cassia bark/ cinnamon

• 2-3 - cloves

• 1 - bayleaf

• 1 tbsp - curry leaves

• 1 tsp - pepper powder

• 1 tsp - Garam masala

Preparation

1. Dice the vegetables and the chicken into bite size pieces.

2. Grind 2 tbsp of cashews to a smooth paste, and set aside

3. In a wok or deep pan, add the chicken, vegetables, onion, green chilli, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, salt, 1 tbsp coconut milk, and coconut oil

4. Switch on the flame, add 1 cup of water, and cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken and vegetables are tender.

5. Add the prepared cashew paste, pepper powder, and garam masala. Cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat, allowing the flavours to blend.

6. Finish by stirring in ½ cup coconut milk, ghee, roasted cashews and raisins switch off the flame, and let the stew rest for a few minutes before serving.

Tips

1. For a vegan option, substitute the chicken with button mushrooms. They absorb the flavours beautifully and make the stew equally comforting.

2. For a richer stew, bone-in meat is highly recommended, as it adds depth and body to the dish. If you’re using boneless meat, replace the water with stock to enhance the flavour.

3. Serve with rice or bread