Ceylonese Cashew Coconut Chicken

Chicken thighs get marinated in a spiced coconut cashew paste, browned on the stove, and then finished off by a simmer in a coconut milk for a rich and comforting meal for weeknights. This Ceylonese, or Sri Lankan, curry is thick, creamy and has great depth of flavour and aroma—perfect for both beginners and curry enthusiasts. Serve it with steamed rice, flatbread or a side salad.


½ tsp Cumin powder ½ tsp Coriander powder 1 Dried curry leaf, stem removed and broken into pieces ½ tsp Fennel powder ½ tsp Freshly milled black pepper ¼ tsp Cloves powder ¼ tsp Cinnamon powder ¼ tsp Cardamom powder 3 tbsp Coconut oil, divided 1 Small shallot, finely minced 2 Garlic cloves, crushed 100 g Roasted cashew nuts 1 tbsp Unsweetened desiccated coconut flakes 6 tbsp Water 1 tsp Grated ginger 1-2 Green chilli, chopped (deseeded if necessary) plus more for garnish 1 tbsp Tomato paste Sea salt 400 g / 1 tin Coconut milk 1 kg Boneless and skinless chicken thighs 1 tbsp Chopped coriander

½ tsp Cumin powder
½ tsp Coriander powder
1 Dried curry leaf, stem removed and broken into pieces
½ tsp Fennel powder
½ tsp Freshly milled black pepper
¼ tsp Cloves powder
¼ tsp Cinnamon powder
¼ tsp Cardamom powder
3 tbsp Coconut oil, divided
1 Small shallot, finely minced
2 Garlic cloves, crushed
100 g Roasted cashew nuts
1 tbsp Unsweetened desiccated coconut flakes
6 tbsp Water
1 tsp Grated ginger
1-2 Green chilli, chopped (deseeded if necessary) plus more for garnish
1 tbsp Tomato paste
Sea salt
400 g / 1 tin Coconut milk
1 kg Boneless and skinless chicken thighs
1 tbsp Chopped coriander

In a small bowl, mix the cumin, coriander, curry leaf, fennel, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom. Set aside. Place a small sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil and shallots and sauté until the shallots have softened. Add the garlic, sauté for another minute, and then add in the spice mix. Continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the spices become very fragrant. Remove the spice mixture from the heat and let it cool.
In a food processor, blend the cashews until powdery. Add the spice mixture, dried coconut, ginger, green chilli, tomato paste, salt and water, and purée into a fine paste. Coat the chicken thighs with the paste thoroughly and let it rest for about 4 hours, or overnight, in the fridge.
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons coconut oil. Place the chicken thighs in the pan and brown them nicely, about 4-6 minutes per side. (Do not overcrowd the pan, or the chicken releases moisture that has no room to evaporate, you will end up steaming the meat instead of searing it. So do it in 3-4 batches if needed.)
Pour out the excess oil. Add in any marinade left in the bowl. Reduce the heat to medium-low, pour the coconut milk into the pan, deglaze, and bring the coconut milk slowly to a boil. Taste and season with more salt if necessary. Let it simmer, uncovered, for another 20-30 minutes, until the sauce has reduced to a thick gravy. Garnish with chopped cilantro and sliced green chillies. Serve with steamed rice, flatbread or salad.