Hot and Spicy Cashew Gravy:(Chettinad Style)

Ingredients:

Cashew nuts 25
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Ghee 1/2 cup
Fresh cream few spoons
Crisply fried curry leaves few.


To be roasted each separately and powdered together:

Cashew nuts 15
Grated coconut 1/2 cup
Cas Cas/poppy seeds 2 spoons
Pepper 1 spoon
Cumin 1 spoon
Cinnamon 3 sticks
Cloves 5
Cardamom 3 pods
Fennel seeds 2 spoons
Coriander seeds 2 spoons
Dry red chilies 3-5

To be Fried in little oil and wet ground to thick paste:

Onion 1 chopped
Ginger 2-3 inch chopped
Garlic 6 cloves chopped
Tomato 2 chopped

Method:

In a deep thick bottomed non-stick kadai/wok....heat ghee.

Add cashew nuts(25) and fry till it is reddish color.

Followed by above wet ground paste. Fry them till it blends well. Add salt, turmeric and chili powder. Add enough water...cover and cook for few minutes.

To this add the powder masala prepared above. And stir fry them till they form a thick gravy. Let the raw smell leave and oil show up on sides.

Just before serving...garnish with crisply fried curry leaves and drop few spoons of heavy cream.

This can be served as side dish to Idly, Dosa, Idiappam, Appam, Chappathi, Pulkas, Naan, Pooris, Mild pilafs or even Plain Rice.