Coconut Curry Chicken

Source: Food & Wine magazine - December 2000

You can make the dish ahead, and refrigerate for up to two days.

1/4 cup whole unsalted cashews
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken
    breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (14 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the cashews in a pie plate and bake for 5 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly toasted. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Lightly season the chicken with salt. In a large, deep skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil until smoking. Add the chicken and cook over moderately high heat until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and reduce the heat to moderate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat until smoking. Add the mustard seeds and cook for about 1 minute, or until they stop popping. Add the cumin seeds, coriander and curry powder, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onion, ginger and garlic, and cook until the onion softens, about 10 minutes; if the mixture seems dry, add up to 1/4 cup of water to prevent sticking.

Stir in the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook for 1 minute. Transfer the curry to a bowl, sprinkle with the cilantro and cashews and serve.

Makes 4 servings.