A faster favorite

I love our Indian food nights, which have until recently consisted of Chicken Tikka Masala and garlic naan. The only problem is that they happen less frequently than I would like since that particular recipe is a little more time consuming than most and takes forthought a day in advance. So, when I came across this recipe for Coconut Chicken Curry at my sister's friends food blog, I was excited for a quicker Indian meal. Enjoy!

1 Tbs. ground almonds
1 Tbs. dry unsweetened coconut
2/3 cup coconut milk
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
1 ½ tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 ½ tsp. grated fresh ginger root
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
3 cardamom pods
1 bay leaf
1 dried red chili, crushed
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

Dry roast the almonds and coconut in a wok, or large pan, until they turn a shade darker. Transfer the mixture to a large glass bowl. Add the coconut milk, ricotta, coriander, chili powder, garlic, ginger, and salt to the bowl. Mix together well. Heat the vegetable oil in the pan, and add the chicken cubes, cardamom pods and bay leaf. Stir-fry for about 2 min. to seal the chicken. Pour in the coconut mixture and stir well. Lower the heat, add the chili and fresh cilantro, then cover and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the contents from sticking to the pan. Uncover the pan, then stir and cook for 2 minutes more. Serve over Jasmine or Basmati rice, also goes well with naan bread.
Serves 4