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Chicken Curry

Ingredient
1 1/2 lbs chicken pieces
clarified butter
1 small stick cinnamon
2 bay leaves
1 large onion
3 Tbl tomato puree
3 cloves garlic
water
salt
Curry spice
1 Tsp turmeric powder
1/2 Tsp cumin seeds
1/2 Tsp coriander seeds
12 dry, Japones seco chile pods
10 black peppercorns
Method
De-seed and de-stem the chiles. Warm the chiles, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and black peppercorns in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Do not allow the spices to burn!

Transfer the chiles, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and peppercorns to a coffee grinder. Process into a fine powder. Add the turmeric to the mix. Process again.

Slice the onion. Chop the garlic. De-skin the chicken.

In a Dutch oven, fry the onions in clarified butter along with bay leaves, the cinnamon stick and a little salt - until the onions begin to brown. Throw in the 3/4 of the curry blend, the chicken pieces and tomato puree. Season to taste with salt. Turn the heat down to a simmer and stir. Cover the pot. When the chicken pieces begin to exude moisture (about 10 minutes), throw in the garlic and stir. Simmer for 10 more minutes. Add enough water to bring the water-level up to about 3/4 of the chicken's top surface. Throw in the remainder of the curry blend. Cover and simmer for 35 minutes.

Check the Curry for salt. Cut off the heat. Allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes. Serve along with steaming, Basmati rice or naan flatbread.

note
If green cardamom seeds can be found, add 1/4 Tsp of them to the curry blend. Chile d'arbol pods may be substituted for the Japones seco pods.