Quick Coconut Chicken Curry

This is the ideal week night meal when you want a quick,  tasty and satisfying meal.  It may seem like a long list of ingredients but it all comes together and ready for the table in the amount of time it takes your rice to cook.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp coriander seed bruised
½ tsp cumin seed bruised
½ tsp chilli flakes – more if you like it hotter
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp turmeric
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 inch piece of ginger grated
Zest of half a lemon
1 tsp chicken stock powder
1 tsp brown sugar
400g tin coconut cream
4 chicken breasts sliced
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and add the spices and gently fry for one minute.
2. Add the ginger, garlic, zest, stock powder and sugar and fry for one minute.
3. Add the coconut cream and allow to reduce by one third.
4. Add the chicken and simmer until chicken is cooked through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve with basmati rice.

 

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Spicy Chicken Curry

With the cooler weather I have been craving heartier food – salad isn’t quite cutting the mustard any more plus I was in the mood for a taste explosion but wasn’t quite sure what kind of flavour taste explosion so into the kitchen I went to rummage through the spices.  A few bottles made their way onto the counter along with a few other ingredients and the result was a fabulously flavourful chicken curry which I think may be making an appearance in our kitchen soon again.  Next round may have to have a few pappadums on the side too.

Ingredients

2 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 large onion sliced
½ tsp coriander seed
½ tsp cumin seed
½ tsp Chinese 5 spice
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp ground ginger – fresh would be even nicer
2 tbsp curry paste or to taste – I used Thai green curry paste
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 410g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
¼ cup dry white wine
¼ cup coconut cream – normal cream would work equally as well
3 -4 chicken breasts sliced
Salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh coriander to serve

Method

1. Fry the onion in 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil until tender and lightly browned.
2. Lightly bash the coriander seed and cumin seed in a pestle and mortar and add to the onion along with all the other spices and curry paste and fry for 2 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
3. Add the garlic, tomatoes and sugar and cook until reduced by half.
4. Add the wine and coconut cream and reduce by half.
5. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes.
6. Serve with fresh coriander and rice.

Mauritian Chicken Curry

This is another dish that Nanda sends home for me from the office and it is divine.  It is a super quick and easy meal to prepare so is ideal for any busy week day dinner.  If you prefer your sauce a little thicker, you can stir through a little cornstarch just before serving.  Enjoy this dish with rice or more traditionally with baguette.

 

Ingredients

2 large potatoes peeled and cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 punnet white mushrooms halved
8 chicken thighs cut into pieces
1 large onion sliced
4 large tomatoes roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves crushed
½ inch piece of ginger root grated
2 red chillies seeds removed and finely chopped
1 cup water
Coriander for serving

Method

1. Fry the potatoes in a little oil until tender and set aside.
2. Fry the mushrooms until cooked and set aside.
3. Fry the chicken pieces until just cooked and add the onion and fry for a further 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger and chillies and stir through.
5. Add the potatoes and mushrooms and stir through.
6. Add the water, bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly.

 

Submitted by:  Nanda Seebaluck, Mauritius