Chicken Curry (w/o Coconut milk)

(adapted from Meera Sodha in NYT Magazine)

This dish is lighter than most curries and very flavorful.  Eggplant can be substituted for chicken. Dish improves in flavor the next day.  It is pretty and flavorful.    Great with homemade Naan (see recipe).
 
Prep Time: approx 25 minutes for all ingredients
Total Time:  60 minutes
Serves:  4 
Utensils:  Large deep pot or dutch oven with lid, chef knife, measuring spoons.

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp unsalted butter or ghee
1 Tbsp neutral oil, like canola
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cinnamon sticks approx. 2 inches long
2 large white or yellow onions, peeled and finely chopped
1   2 1/2 inch piece of ginger peeled and grated or minced
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushd
2 green cayenne or jalapeno peppers, stemmed seeded and cut into half-moons (optional) 
salt to taste
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp pureed or diced tomatoes 
2 Tbsp tomato paste
11/2 tsps ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
3 Tbsps whole-milk yogurt, plus 1 cup to serve with the meal
13/4 -2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks 
3 Tbsp slivered almonds
1 tsp garam masala
pinch ground cayenne pepper or to taste 

PROCESS
1.  Melt butter/ghee in the oil in a large dutch oven or pot, over medium heat.
2.  When hot and shimmering, add cumin seeds and cinnamon sticks.  Cook for one minute stirring often so doesn't burn.
3. Add onions. Lower heat slightly, cook, until golden, approx. 15-20 minutes
4. Put ginger, garlic and peppers (if using) in mortar and pestle with pinch of salt, and smash into coarse paste.  (You can also do this on a cutting board with a knife or dice ginger,garlic and peppers). 
5. Add paste to the onions and cook for 2 minutes or so.
6.  Pour in tomatoes and stir.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.
7.  Add tomato paste, ground cumin, ground turmeric and a little more salt and stir to combine
8. Add yogurt slowly and whisk it into the sauce.  It may be quite think. 
9. When begins to bubble add the chicken, lower heat, put lid on and allow to cook gently for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Should be slow bubbles, not active boiling.
10. Finally, add almonds, garam masala, along with a pinch of cayenne, and cook for 5 minutes more.  

Serve with brown or white basmati rice, and/or naan, and the additional yogurt

NOTES: Best to prepare all ingredients before you start cooking since cook times are short.   I like to buy the less expensive chicken thighs and use the skin and bones for a nice broth (which can cook in another pot alongside the curry).  The spices are all pretty standard and available at most Indian or mid-eastern grocery stores.  If your spices are old or not pungent, add a little more.