Chicken Kurma

Ingredients

3 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
1 tb coriander seeds
1 ts cumin seeds
1 ts turmeric
6 garlic
1 two cube ginger
4 pound chicken
2 tb poppy seeds
2 tb cashews
10 blanched almonds
2 tb unsweetened
2 tb ghee
3 onions
4 green chiles
2 tb cilantro

Instructions

* skinned, boned and cut into about 2 inch pieces Grind cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander and cumin seeds with turmeric until you have a powder. Chop garlic and ginger into a paste. Combine both mixtures with yogurt and salt. Add chicken to this mixture and marinate 2-3 hours. Grind poppy seeds, cashews and almonds in a blender or spice mill until you have a powder. Combine with coconut and set aside. Heat ghee in a large skillet and cook onions until golden brown. Add poppy seed mixture and mix well. Put chicken and yogurt marinade into a heavy bottom pot. Add onion mixture, fresh chiles, half the cilantro and 1 1/2 cups water. Cook, uncovered, until chicken is tender and sauce thickens. Courtesy, Sue Sista of "Sue's India Cuisine", San Jose and Mountain View. From the San Jose Mercury News, 6/9/93.