Fruit and Chicken Curry

Serve on a bed on rice for a fun curry dish that has a taste of fruit in every bite.  

I got halfway through before I took a picture!

20 dried apricots

2 cups water

1 cup raisins

1 can (10 oz/284 ml) chicken broth or homemade stock

½ cup dry white wine

Juices from all fruits, including apricots

1 can (14 oz/398 ml) unsweetened pineapple

1 can (10 oz/284 ml) mandarin oranges

½ cup butter, divided

3 tbsp flour or cornstarch

3 tbsp powdered chicken stock

1-2 tbsp curry powder

Salt and pepper to taste

3 pounds chicken breast, skinned and boned

1 cup seedless green grapes

2 medium avocados

1 cup wide flake coconut

Simmer apricots in water until tender, about 1/2 hour. Add raisins in the last 5 minutes of cooking time to plump.  Combine juices from all fruits, including apricots, with chicken broth and wine, set aside.  In food processor or blender, puree 8 apricots, 1 cup pineapple, ¼ cup mandarins and 1/4 cup raisins.

Melt 5 tbsp (75 mil) butter in a large heavy saucepan. Stir in flour and cook gently for 3-4 minutes. Combine the reserved liquids, fruit puree, curry powder and powdered chicken stock, add to butter mixture, whisky quickly.  Cook until smooth and thick.  Meanwhile, cut chicken into walnut-size pieces and sauté in remaining butter just until cooked.  Fold chicken, grapes, remaining apricots, pineapple, raisins and mandarins into thickened puree.  At this point, curry may be refrigerated or frozen.  Reheat gently just before serving and transfer into a large, shallow serving dish or casserole.  Garnish with avocados and coconut.

Serves 16.  (For our dinner swap, I increased the ingredients to make 20 servings and split it four ways). 

Fair for Friends collaborative cookbook (1983)


Thanks for the yummy recipe, Mary!

Chicken and cauliflower curry over rice.

This dish is perfect for those nights when you crave Indian food!  It has a wonderful flavour that is not spicy, is creamy yet tastes light and has great notes of coriander!  Thanks for your creativity, E!  We will definitely be making this one again!


Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts 
1/2 an onion


vegetable oil
1/2 an onion
1/2 head of cauliflower
1 Tbsp "mexican powder"
a few shakes Tabasco
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro/coriander
1 can chick peas
1 can coconut milk
rice


Directions: Boil 2 chicken breasts with 1/2 an onion and pepper corns
Fry up 1/2 an onion, 1/2 a cauliflower, curry powder, mexican powder, and tabsaco, in some vegetable oil.


When cauliflower is soft enough (up to you) add chopped cilantro.  Add chick peas and coconut milk.


Shred boiled chicken and add to wok or frying pan.  Add more seasonings to taste.
Bake in a casserole at 350 degrees.
Serve over cooked rice.


To re-heat: Received in a plastic Ziplock freezer bag.  Defrost in fridge overnight or in a bowl of water in the sink.  
Once thawed, pour contents and bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes.


Bon Appetit!

A version of Indian Butter Chicken

 I adapted this recipe from a cookbook called, "Looney Spoons", and has been a family favourite ever since.   This recipe fed two families, and was perfect for sharing with a friend who got home from work late and needed a little helping hand!

Rice and Naan bread and fresh coriander are essential!  

Use about 10 Chicken thighs or about 3-4 breasts, cut into pieces, or a rotisserie chicken..

2 Tsps Butter

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

2 Tbsps minced garlic

3 Tbsps grated ginger root or 2 Tbsps ginger powder

2 tsps chili powder

1 1/2 tsp  turmeric 

1 1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cumin

1 Can diced tomatoes (I like to blend this so no chunks)

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 Big spoonfuls  mild curry paste (Pataks is the brand I use)

1/2 to 1  cup heavy cream, sour cream or thick plain yoghurt (to taste.)

   Coriander leaves

Cook your chicken so it is not pink anymore, remove from pan.

Cook onions until clear in butter, then add in your spices.

Blend Tomatoes with all the spices and the broth.

Add in chicken again and let cook at least 15 minutes to absorb all the spices.

Add cream at the very end, I find it separates if cooked too long.

Serve over Basmati rice, and naan bread for dipping in the sauce. (Available at Provigo and Costco)

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves (aka cilantro).  

Freezes well and also tastes best the next day!  I like to put it in a large freezer bag to freeze, lay it out flat to fit in your freezer.  

Mango Curried Chicken Drumsticks.

This is by far, a 'best ever' recipe in my household I had a craving for a sweet curry dish one night and adapted some recipes with what I had in the cupboard.  I did this one for our first recipe exchange and it got rave reviews.  I literally threw all the ingredients in a freezable ziplock bag and froze it.  You can also whip this together and have it on the table within the hour while your rice is cooking and you read the kids a book!

In the crock pot, I added lots of potatoes (2 hours left on high) and then cauliflower  (1 hour left on high) which cooked with the chicken and absorbed all the flavours.  There was still lots of sauce, so I added more cooked potatoes for "next day" lunches.

1 or two chopped onions

4 Tbsps Curry paste (I use Pataks mild curry paste)

2 Tbsps lime juice

6 Tbsps Mango spread adds the sweetness (I use Clic brand)

4 Tbsps soya sauce

1 or 2 cloves garlic minced

10-16 skinless chicken drumsticks 

Rub the chicken with this sauce

Put it all in a slow cooker for 3-4 hours high, 8 hours low 

or 350 degrees for about an hour in the oven.  

Serve over rice, the sauce (which is UNBELIEVABLE) will act like a gravy.

FREEZER:  Can be given un-cooked in a ziplock bag with the sauce or pre-cooked.

Notes:

Last hour of cooking, add cut cauliflower or potatoes (2 hours+)and mix in the sauce makes a delicious side. 

If you cannot find mango spread you can use:

Mango chutney & honey

or mango purée & honey

Or apricot jam