RECIPE OF THE WEEK CHICKEN KORMA

THE TWO PAN CHICKEN KORMA (it’s easier than it looks)
For the sauce (2 persons approx)
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon tumeric
2 tablespoons mild curry powder or garam masala
Juice of 1 lime (or enough lime cordial for a drink)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 can coconut milk
1 pint water
½ can evaporated milk or thick plain yoghurt
1 handful of chopped fresh coriander
2 tablespoons oil, ghee, margarine or butter (for frying) do not use olive oil!
also needed
Basmati rice (or any rice you can buy) rule of thumb a cup per person. But it depends on appetite and it can always be used as ground bait.
1lb off the bone chicken breast. (substitute other meat fish of vegetables as preferred)

Again this isn’t a science. The ingredients above are a guide. Any kind of coconut is good. Creamed blocks just need to dissolve in the sauce. Desiccated coconut can be used if that’s all you can get it will need cooking for longer.

Fill a pan with cold water and put chicken into it. This should be put on a low heat whilst you prepare the sauce.

Whilst the chicken is beginning to heat up, finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat a pan with the oil or ghee and fry the onions and garlic together stirring constantly to avoid burning (if you are using desiccated coconut that should be added at this stage and use plenty). Add the powdered coriander and stir in until you can smell the spice and the curry powder or garam masala. Add the lime and the sugar. It will become a paste very quickly. Add the pint of water (and creamed coconut if you are using it). Stir well then leave to simmer gently until reduced.

At this stage check the chicken. Prick with a knife and see if meat is cooked through (it should be white inside). When cooked remove from hot water cover and leave to stand.

Clean the pan and fill it with cold water. Put rice into the water and rub it thoroughly between your fingers until the water is milky. Drain, rinse and leave to one side. Refill pan and bring to the boil. Add the rice (at this stage you can also add tumeric powder and coriander to add flavour to the rice). During cooking the rice should be watched carefully and not allowed to over cook. If you are using basmati rice it will cook very quickly. Keep trying a grain or two. If you can bite through it easily but there is a hard centre remove the rice from the heat and drain the water. Leave it to stand and cover it as it will continue to cook. Fill the pan with water and put it back on the heat (the warm water is to rinse the rice before serving)

Back to the sauce. Once the sauce becomes a thick paste again add the coconut milk and allow to reduce quickly. Add evaporated milk or yoghurt and finely chopped fresh coriander (or a tablespoon of powdered) and simmer very slowly stirring occasionally until the sauce starts to turn creamy.

Meantime cut the chicken into healthy chunks and throw them in the sauce. When the sauce reaches a rich creamy texture turn off the heat. Rinse the rice in warm water and you’re ready to serve.

Chef’s notes: OK this looks far more complicated than it actually is. It’s basically a throw everything in dish. But when you’re limited to hobs and space in general it’s better to be organised. It’ll take an hour max to make. If you get practice it can be done half the time. But as I always say the longer the sauce takes the better. So you can actually cook the sauce for longer by keep adding a little water before creaming it up. If you make the sauce the day before hold back the evaporated milk yoghurt and fresh coriander until you are reheating it. It will taste amazing.

And again you can add salt and pepper or cream or more coconut or lime or curry powder or whatever. Just keep on tasting it. You can even add some chilli, powdered ginger and chopped tomatoes and turn it into a tikka masala sauce.