Wash the produce
Rinse the tomatoes, green chillies, mint, and cilantro under cool running water. Shake off the excess water and pat everything dry well with a clean towel so the marinade does not get watery.
Prep the aromatics
Slice the onion thinly for frying. Slit the washed green chillies lengthwise. Finely chop the mint and cilantro. Roughly chop the tomatoes so they blend easily.
Fry the onions
Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and fry, stirring often, until deeply golden brown and crisp at the edges. Lift the onion out with a slotted spoon and let it drain briefly; it will darken a little more as it cools.
Blend the base pastes
If your almonds and cashews are very firm, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain. Add the almonds, cashews, coconut powder, and a little yogurt or water to a blender jar and blend until very smooth. In the same jar or a clean one, blend the chopped tomatoes into a smooth purée if needed.
Mix the marinade
Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the nut-coconut paste, the remaining yogurt, ginger garlic paste, black pepper powder, red chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, lemon juice, red chilli sauce, green chilli sauce, soy sauce, the tomato purée, slit green chillies, ghee, the fried onion, chopped mint, chopped cilantro, heavy cream, salt, and red food color. Mix thoroughly with clean hands or a sturdy spoon until every piece of chicken is evenly coated in the thick red marinade.
Let it marinate
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the chicken for at least 2 hours so the spices, yogurt, and nut paste can really sink in. If you have more time, overnight gives an even deeper wedding-style flavor.
Heat the pot
Set a deep heavy-bottomed pot or kadai over medium-high heat and add a light film of oil if the pot looks dry. Let it heat until the surface is hot and ready for the marinated chicken.
Cook the chicken
Add all of the marinated chicken to the hot pot. Cook uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until the yogurt-spice mixture starts to thicken and lose its raw smell. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and continue cooking for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender, the gravy is glossy, and you can see the fat beginning to separate at the edges. Add only a small splash of water if the masala starts catching on the bottom before the chicken is cooked through.
Finish and serve
Taste the chicken and adjust the salt or heat if needed. Stir in a little extra heavy cream for a richer finish if you like. Spoon the Hyderabadi Shadi-wala Red Chicken into a serving dish and garnish with a little more chopped cilantro and mint. Serve hot with naan or roti.
