There are very few dishes I took an interest in learning from my mother’s repertoire. Not because she is not a good cook, because that is the farthest thing from the truth, it’s because I love it when she makes ANYTHING for us. Her cooking is just incredible. To me, it’s the ultimate in “everything is right in the world for me”
Although recently a friend reached out and asked us to recreate a favorite dish or a dish we learned from our moms and I couldn’t get Ammu’s Eid special chicken out of my head. It’s only served twice a year and I have never had it anywhere else – ever. What makes it special? It’s the creamy coating and the soft white onion gravy that coats the chicken. I can’t classify it as a curry, because the gravy is not in liquid form, it sort of coats the chicken. It is rich… Oh… so.. rich. And the flavour profile is like a korma, but not. It’s a stand alone dish that we all enjoy paired with Parathas every Eid morning for breakfast, and it disappears, although not before you’ve had seconds and thirds. And it does never return again, at any point in the year other then the next Eid morning.
Anecdote Time
Every Eid, we would look forward to this dish. I have so many memories of rushing back from Eid Namaz just to stuff my face with this chicken and some parathas. Nothing else mattered when this chicken was finally brought to the table. Most women like to create their own Eid morning traditions after they get married, but not this girl. For the last 9 years, I always show up to my mom’s kitchen ready to eat this – and that is my tradition.
I know that one day, this is the dish I will choose to inherit should the day arise that my mom no longer wishes to slave in the kitchen and asks one of us to take over the task. To us, this dish signifies our ammu. She created this recipe and served it up for us on the most special of days. To me, it will always be a nostalgic dish that while eating, each bite will be punctuated with a swallow and a story of a time gone by filled with love, joy and a piece of my Ammu’s glorious heart.
If you make it, please remember and pray for my Ammu, her heart is actually made of solid gold. May I have the privilege of sharing more of her recipes with you.
Ammu's Special Eid Cashew Onion Chicken
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2.5 lb skinless chicken legs and thighs, bone in. cut in small curry pieces
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 5 green chilies
- 2 tbsp ginger paste
- 2 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp pepper
- 2 tbsp salt
Finishing Sauce
- 1.5 cup tasteless-cooking oil (vegetable oil) divided
- 5 large onions cut into 6 sections and layers separated
- 3 dried red chillies whole
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 4 cardamom pods
- 5 cloves
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 4-6 green chillies for garnish
Instructions
- In a blender, add all your marinade ingredients, add 1/2 a cup of water and blend till a smooth paste forms.
- Add the marinade to the chicken pieces and mix to coat. Make sure to mix well. let stand in the fridge for 30 min.
- After 30min, in a pan, add 1/2 cup vegetable oil, medium heat, and add chicken. Include all the marinade in the pan. You want to cook the chicken for 15-20 minutes. or until it is no longer raw. Make sure to not brown the chicken off.The chicken will release some liquid and the cashews in the marinade will begin to create a sauce. Cook the sauce further down till the liquid is almost evaporated and the cashew sauce coats the chicken. 10 more minutes.Take the chicken out and put it to the side.
- In the pot, add 1 cup of oil, my Ammu suggests to open your heart and be generous with the oil. (she says, It's Eid, so no rules apply.)On medium heat, in the oil add your whole spices (dry red chillies, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom) and fry till fragrant. Then add your onions. when the onions are softened, not browned, add your chickenCombine, add in sugar and cook from 5-10min to bring it all together.
- Right before taking it off the heat, add your ghee (it's more for fragrance) and top off with your green chillies
- Serve with your favorite parathas or puri. That's how mom does it.
Notes
- There is an obscene amount of oil in this recipe. When I asked Ammu, how much, she said "open your heart and be generous with the oil" this is Ammu speak for, I had to buy a vat of oil, and that she clearly does not measure the oil... so.. at least a cup but no less. lol (it's Eid Chicken... not health food)
- There is an obscene amount of onion. That's what makes it unique. Do feel free to add more, it adds a natural sweetness to this chicken dish.
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