A Tale of Two Chickens

Lately, I’ve been obsessed with Jamie Oliver.  Well, with his food to be more precise.  I am more of a Giada De Laurentiis and Barefoot Contessa kind of girl when it comes to food.  But my best friend Rachel gave me Jamie’s Food Revolution cookbook when she visited me a few months ago.  I never really thought much of him or his food until I got his book.  I think of him as a very unconventional chef.  Also, he is quite entertaining on camera and his show is one of the most popular cooking shows in Romania.  Even my grandmother loves him. 

However, over the past few weeks I’ve been trying several of his recipes and I was not disappointed.  I love how he uses cilantro in almost anything he makes whether it is Indian food, chili con carne, or a simple ginger and parsnip soup.  One of my favorites so far was his Chicken Tikka Masala.  I have to tell you, dear reader, that my husband and I are deeply in love with Indian food.  We have never ever had Indian food until we came to the States.  We didn’t even know what kind of food Indians ate or what their traditional dish was.  Nada…  But little by little we learnt about it and now we are Indian food aficionados.  In fact, I think that the best Indian restaurant in the US is in Boston, but that’s a different story for another time.  So, coming back to Jamie’s Indian food recipes.  Well, I think that I will have to try them all eventually, and last night I was on track with Chicken Korma.  One word – DEVINE!  It’s not your usual restaurant style Chicken Korma with raisins and tons of cream, but rather a lighter and more delightful version of the traditional dish.  So far, we loved both chicken recipes and it’s my pleasure to share them with you, and hope that you will enjoy them too.  Sit tight, I think we’ll have a Jamie Oliver week!

Chicken Korma

Adapted slightly from Jamie’s Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver

Yields 4-6 servings

 

  

·         1 ¾ - 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

·         2 medium onions

·         Optional: 1 fresh green chile

·         A thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger

·         A small bunch of fresh cilantro

·         1 x 15-ounce can of garbanzo beans

·         3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

·         1 Tablespoon of butter

·         ½ cup korma or mild curry paste, such as Patak’s (I used Patak’s mild curry paste)

·         1 x 14-ounce can of coconut milk

·         About ¼ cup sliced almonds, plus extra for serving

·         2 heaped Tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut

·         Kosher salt and black pepper

·         Optional: 2 ½ teaspoons of sugar (the recipe doesn’t call for sugar, but I personally love that hint of sweetness)

To prepare your curry

Cut the chicken into approximately 1-inch pieces.  Peel, halve, and finely slice the onions.  Halve, seed, and finely slice the chile if you’re using it.  Peel and finely chop the ginger.  Pick the cilantro leaves and finely chop the stalks.  Drain the garbanzo beans.

 

To make your curry

Put a large casserole-type pan on a medium heat and add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.  Add the onions, chile (if using it), ginger, and cilantro stalks.  Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.  Keep stirring it enough so it doesn’t catch and burn but turn evenly golden.  Cook for around 10 minutes.  Add the curry paste, coconut milk, ¼ cup sliced almonds, the drained garbanzo beans, unsweetened shredded coconut, and sliced chicken breasts.  Half fill the empty can with water, pour it into the pan, and stir.  Add the sugar and stir again.  Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 30 – 40 minutes with the lid on.  Check the curry regularly to make sure it’s not drying out, and add extra water if necessary.  When the chicken is tender and cooked, taste and season carefully with salt and pepper (and more sugar if necessary).

Chicken Tikka Masala

Adapted slightly from Jamie’s Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver

Yields 4-6 servings 

·         1 ½ - 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

·         2 medium onions

·         A thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger

·         A small bunch of fresh cilantro

·         3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

·         1 Tablespoon of butter

·         ½ cup tikka masala or mild curry paste, such as Patak’s (I used Patak’s mild curry paste)

·         Kosher salt and black pepper

·         1 x 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes

·         1 x 14-ounce can of coconut milk

·         A small handful of sliced almonds for serving

To prepare your curry

Cut / slice the chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes or ¾-inch-thick strips.  Peel, halve, and finely slice the onions.  Peel and finely slice the ginger.  Pick the cilantro leaves and put to one side, then finely chop the stalks. 

 

To make your curry

Put a large casserole-type pan on medium heat and add the oil and butter.  Add the onions, ginger and cilantro stalks.  Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes, until soften and golden.  Add the curry paste and the chicken.  Stir well to coat everything with the paste and season with salt and pepper.  Add the tomatoes and the coconut milk.  Fill one of the empty cans with water, pour into the pan, and stir again.  Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 30 – 40 minutes with the lid on.  Check the curry regularly to make sure it’s not drying out and add extra water if necessary.  When the meat is tender and cooked, taste and carefully add a bit more salt and pepper.   

I served the chicken dishes with fluffy basmati rice.  I used Kohinoor Authentic Basmati Rice.

Yields 4-6 servings

·         1 ½ cups basmati rice

·         2 1/3 cups water

·         2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

·         Salt and pepper

Wash the rice and soak it in cold water for about 30 minutes before cooking.  Drain the rice.  Put a pan on medium heat and add the oil.  Add the rice and water, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and stir.  Bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down and simmer for 10 – 12 minutes with the lid on.  Do not remove the lid while cooking.  Remove the pan from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork.

What is interesting is that I made the Chicken Korma before my husband and I went to our weekly Yoga class.  I didn’t realize it when I chose to make this dish, but I have to say that Yoga and Indian food go very well together.  Of course we ate after our Yoga class.  And it was delicious!  Namaste!