Cashew Chicken Curry

An epicurious recipe I tried recently and LOVED! Easy chicken curry with a nice nutty sauce.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter
• 2  medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
• 2  large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1  tablespoon  finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 3  tablespoons curry powder
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 1  teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne
• 3 1⁄2-4  lbs chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces
• 1 (14 1/2ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped fresh cilantro
• 3⁄4 cup cashews, roasted (1/4 lb)
• 3⁄4 cup plain yogurt

• Accompaniment

•  cooked basmati rice or   jasmine rice

• Garnish

•  chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat butter in a 5- to 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderately low heat until foam subsides, then cook onions, garlic, and ginger, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring to coat, 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, including juice, and cilantro and bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes.
2. Just before serving: pulse cashews in a food processor or electric coffee/spice grinder until very finely ground, then add to curry along with yogurt and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
3. Note: Curry, without yogurt and cashews, can be made 5 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered; reheat over low heat before stirring in yogurt and ground cashews.