HOW TO MAKE A CHICKEN MASALA CURRY

INGREDIENTS:

4 tbsp of Sunflower Cooking Oil.

1 kilo chicken breast chopped into small pieces, wash the chicken in a colander with vinegar and leave it to drain, (chicken retains water so you need it all to drain out before adding it to the pan, (otherwise you will end up with chicken soup).

1 large onion wash and chop finely.

8 cloves of garlic and a small piece of fresh ginger about an inch, washed and finely crushed in a Mortar and Pestle or a grinder mill.

4 tbsp of tomato purée.

1 tsp of paprika.

1 tsp of basar .

1 tsp of salt (adjust to taste).

1 tbsp Garam masala (5 cloves, 2 black cardamoms, 5cm cinnamon stick, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds) Grind all these ingredients together in a grinder mill to make your own Garam Masala.

4 fresh tomatoes, wash and chop.

1-4 fresh green chillies, wash and chop small (adjust to taste).

Fresh green coriander, wash (carefully as soil and insects can attach to the stems) and chop; to garnish.

You are now ready to start cooking your tasty curry.

Lets start by washing our hands.

Get a large pan (big enough to fit everything in and be able to stir). Now you need a spatula, I prefer to use wooden spatulas, they remind me of my mum as she used them, but you can use anything that is flat on the end as it is easier to stop anything from sticking to the pan.

Add the Cooking Oil, Onions, and cumin seeds to the pan, stirring all the time, (fry until golden brown),

Add the Garlic and Ginger, and fry for 1 minute on low heat.

Next add the Paprika, Basar, Garam Masala and salt;, fry for 1 minute on low heat then add tomato purée and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Now you can add the chicken and keep stirring on high heat until it really starts sticking then turn heat down, but keep stirring if needed you can add drops of warm water in to stop curry from sticking too much and burning. This stage should only take around 20 minutes. You can see when chicken is cooked because the chicken pieces are tender (if in doubt take a piece out to taste) At this stage the colour changes to a deep red and your kitchen smells like an Indian Restaurant.

Finally add the fresh tomatoes, chillies and cook for 1 minute then add coriander to garnish.

CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE MADE YOUR OWN CHICKEN MASALA CURRY.

Your curry can be served with boiled Basmati rice,as this rice compliments and brings out the best flavours from all curry's. You can also serve your curry with Pitta bread or naan. Pitta breads and Naans are available ready made from most supermarkets and Asian food stores. It is really easy to boil Basmati rice. Just follow these simple instructions on the packet.

Boiling the rice is very simple. You wash the rice in a large bowl,leave the cold water running while you stir the rice; the water should soon start running clear. Now cook the rice for 10 - 15 minutes in a large pan with a small amount of salt and just enough water to cover the rice. Next boil until the rice is tender and not gritty, test a few grains in your mouth, If it feels gritty then just let it cook a little longer adding more water if necessary. Be careful not to over cook, as it will turn to mush. When the rice has cooked, (put your oven gloves on), take the pan to the sink and drain the water out of the rice, you can use a large sieve to do this. Transfer the rice into a serving bowl, and garnish with Bay leaves.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

Sunflower Oil Is good for the heart, it lowers cholesterol, and adds essential fatty acids into your system.

Fresh Tomatoes contain Lycopene; which fights against cancer. each Tomato contains about 30 calories each. and counts as 1 of your 5-a-day.

Onions are full of vitamin C and Fibre, antioxidants and only 35 calories each.

Garlic is good for the heart and contains only 4 calories per clove.

Ginger is very good for nausea.

Chicken breasts are very low in calories and contains nutrients that help reduce the risk of cancer.