In my last post, I shared some musings about ‘curry’; touching upon its origins and how its popularity increased in Britain during the Victorian era and then more rapidly in the mid-20th century. I also talked about how food is so often tied-up with memories and recalled some stories involving friends and family, as well as some of the more interesting Indian restaurants I’ve had the pleasure of visiting.
I wrote previously about how the process of making a curry is one that I find incredibly satisfying and therapeutic. Coming up with my own variations is also a lot of fun too and below is a recipe I recently came up with for a fresh-tasting, zingy and healthy curry. Perfect for a cold winter evening and even tastier heated up the next day!
Tomato, lentil, courgette and shredded chicken curry // Turmeric rice with peas
4 x servings
What you need
For the curry
- 4 x medium chicken breasts
- 1 x white onion, finely chopped
- 4 x garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
- 1 x 500g canned tomatoes (I used Mutti tomatoes but any brand will do)
- 1 x 500g canned lentils, drained
- 2 x medium courgettes, halved and then cut into 1 cm cubes
- 4 x dried red chillis, chopped (fresh chillis are fine but the curry will be more fiery)
- 1 x cinnamon stick
- 1 x whole nutmeg
- 1 x teaspoon cayenne chilli powder
- 1 x teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 x teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 x teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 x teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 x teaspoon coriander
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
For the rice
- 360g of basmati or pilau rice (enough for 4 x servings so adjust your portion sizes depending on how much you usually eat!)
- 3-4 tablespoons of peas (I use jarred peas but frozen would be ok)
- 1 x vegetable stock cube
- 1 x teaspoon of turmeric
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Steps
The curry
1.) Add the chopped chillis, cayenne powder, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric, ginger and coriander to a pestle and mortar. Grind to release the flavour and crush the fennel and cumin seeds. Set aside.
2.) Finely chop the onions. Crush the garlic with the back of a large knife and then also chop.
3.) Cut the chicken into large chunks and brown in a large saucepan with a small amount of oil over a medium-high heat until sealed.
4.) Transfer the chicken to a plate and ‘shred’ with a knife and fork. Cover with foil and set to one side.
4.) Heat a tablespoon of oil in the saucepan over a medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 4-5 minutes until softened and golden.
5.) Add the ground spice mixture to the pan and combine with the onion and garlic, stir constantly, not allowing it to burn.
6.) Add the drained lentils and cubed courgette to the pan. Stir occasionally and cook for a further 5 minutes.
7.) Add the canned tomatoes to the pan, as well as the cinnamon stick and nutmeg. Add a little water if the mixture appears too dry. Bring to the boil.
8.) Once the mixture in the pan has boiled, reduce to a low heat, return the shredded chicken to the pan and gently simmer for 40 minutes. Stir occasionally.
9.) Taste the curry mixture after 30 minutes and add a tablespoon of white wine vinegar to bring out the acidity in the dish. Add extra salt and pepper, according to your own personal taste.
10.) Serve alongside the turmeric rice and vegetables of your choice.
Rice
1.) Cook the rice, according to the instructions on the packet. Add the vegetable stock cube to the pan and the turmeric.
2.) Halfway through cooking, add the peas.
3.) Drain well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with the curry.
Serving suggestion
I found this dish works very well served in bowls. You can serve the curry on a bed of rice in a bowl or alternatively, alongside it on a plate. The vegetable accompaniments are up to you but on this occasion, I roasted some chickpeas and spinach in the oven for 15 minutes with some olive oil, thyme and salt and pepper.
