Spicy Tomato-Braised Chicken with Turmeric and Cashew

From “Buttermilk Graffiti” by Edward Lee Makes 4 servings 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ¾ cup canola oil 1 cup sliced white onion 1 cup sliced celery 3 tablespoons tomato paste 2 garlic cloves, chopped 2 tablespoons ground ginger ¼ cup unsalted raw cashews, ground into powder (see note) 2 teaspoons ground turmeric 1½ cups chicken stock ½ cup coconut milk 3 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped 3 small habanero peppers, leave whole 5 springs fresh thyme

Instructions: Season the chicken thighs with the salt and black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin down in the pan and sear until browned, about 3 minutes each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Add the remaining oil to the pan then add the onion and celery and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, garlic, ginger, cashew powder and turmeric and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the spices give off an aromatic perfume. Pour the chicken stock and coconut milk into the pan and stir well. Return the chicken thighs to the Dutch oven. Add the tomatoes, habanero peppers and thyme, cover, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender. Pull out the chicken and keep it warm on a baking sheet cover with aluminum foil. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil over high heat and cook until thickened and reduced by almost half. Taste and add more salt if needed. Arrange the chicken on four plates. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve with rice or fufu. Note: To prepare the ground cashew powder, place raw cashews in a food processor and pulse until you get a fine, granular powder. Put the ground nuts on a small baking sheet (or in a pie pan) and toast in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, until dry but not too toasted. Remove and pulse again in the processor or chop to get the texture even finer. Return to the oven and toast for another 2 minutes. Repeat the process until you have a fine powder that is aromatic and dry to the touch; it should feel like coarse cornmeal.