Chicken with cauliflower

So, I'm moving along well with my new year's resolution to share a delicious recipe from all of my cookbooks. And tonight it is chicken with cauliflower. Perhaps you can tell that I'm not terribly inspired today to write this post. Don't let my laziness fool you. This dish may be the best thing I've made in the last 6 months. It.Is.So.Delicious. You've been warned. Oh, and it is probably better when you follow the directions. I guess those two glasses of pinot noir distracted me a bit. To the cook goes the spoils, err, big glass(es) of wine!

Aren't you intrigued?

This fabulous recipe is from Regional Indian Cooking, by Ajoy Joshi and Allison Roberts. The pictures in this cookbook are great and the recipes even better. I can't wait to try another offering. (And I can't believe I've waited six years to try out these recipes!)

Ingredients

2 yellow onions, roughly chopped
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp ground tumeric
16 oz ground chicken (the recipe called for 8 oz, but I've got a hungry husband to feed, so I used 16 oz of chicken thighs)
2 tbsp unsalted roasted cashews
2 tbsp unsalted roasted peanuts
2-3 tbsp hot water
1 cauliflower, about 1 3/4 lb
4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder (I used chipotle chili powder)
1 can coconut milk (I used the light version)

1 tbsp slivered blanched almonds, toasted (I was lazy and didn't toast them)
Chopped fresh cilantro

 Directions

1. In a spall food processor, combine onions, garlic, and ginger and process until finely chopped. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add half of onion mixture and cook stirring often, until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Set the other 1/2 of the onion mixture aside in a bowl.
2. Add garam masala and 1/2 tsp tumeric to cooking onions, stirring, until fragrant 1-2 minutes.
3. Raise heat to high, add chicken, and cook until chicken changes color, 2-3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
4. Transfer chicken mixture to food processor, add cashews and peanuts, and process until well combined. Add enough hot water to process to a fine paste.
5. Cut florets from cauliflower, keeping stalks short .In saucepan, heat remaining 2 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add remaining onion (that you set aside in step #1) mixture and cook, stirring, until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, salt, chili powder, and remaining 1/2 tsp tumeric and cook until tomoatoes break down, about 10 minutes.
6. Stir coconut milk and chicken mixture into pan. Place cauliflower in pan, heads down. Cover and cook over low heat, turning cauliflower florets once, until cauliflower is tender, 15-20 minutes.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed. Transfer to serving dish and top with almonts and cilantro. Serve hot, with rice or nan.