Healthy Chicken Curry?

ya-what-now? · 23-09-2009 9:15am #1

Would anybody have a recepie for a good healthy chicken curry? I'm looking to make a big batch of it this weekend that I may portion up.

I'm a bit of a weight watcher so obviously don't want to use coconut milk, but any other recepie I have for chicken curry usually has tinned tomatoes mixed with curry powder for the base, but I'd ideally like to move away from using the tinned tomatoes - just getting a bit bored of the flavour!

Any ideas?

messrs · 23-09-2009 9:17am

would you just cook it with all the other veggies and just leave out the tomatoes?

ya-what-now? · 23-09-2009 9:22am

Would it not be a bit lacking in moisture?

superficies · 23-09-2009 9:27am

Should't be dry if you ue a touch of other liquid--stock, maybe?

chalkitdown · 23-09-2009 9:29am

Use yougurt instead of the coconut milk and it'll be grand.

messrs · 23-09-2009 9:39am

i never use coconut milk at all, the only liquid i have it in is the stockcube, maybe if you find it bit dry you could add an extra half stockcube?
Would you even add the juice from tin of tomoatoes or do you want to stay away from tomatoe taste totally?

olaola · 23-09-2009 10:33am

I use a paste with a can of tomatoes and then add whatever meat/veg. I'll add fat-free yoghurt if I want to make it creamy.
I think the tomatoes add a lot to the dish, I personally wouldn't leave them out.

Dizzyblonde · 23-09-2009 10:40am

Here's my recipe - it's a bit 'old-fashioned' compared to a lot of curries but it's delicious. I'm a weight watcher too and it's not hugely calorific.

4 boneless chicken breasts (one per person), cut into cubes
3-4 medium onions
1 Large carrot or 1 red or yellow pepper, sliced
2 Cloves of garlic, crushed
1 dessertspoon of flour
3 tablespoons of medium curry powder (I use Sharwood's)
1 pint of hot water
1 chicken stock cube
1 Tablespoon of mango chutney
1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
1 Tablespoon of tomato purée
Oil for frying

Fry the onion and carrot or pepper in oil over a low heat until soft. Add the garlic and fry for a minute, then turn up the heat and add the chicken and fry until sealed.
Turn the heat down low and add the curry powder, cook for a few minutes. Sprinkle on the flour and stir until it’s absorbed. Then add the stock and stir well. Add the chutney, tomato puree and lemon juice and bring back to the boil. Simmer for around ½ hour. If it reduces too much, add some hot water, if it’s too thin turn up the heat and it will reduce.

ya-what-now? · 24-09-2009 8:57am

Great ideas guys, thanks for that!

I'm kinda trying to stay away from the tomato taste just for a change.

Dizzy, I'm gonna try out your recepie this weekend, looks good!

ya-what-now? · 28-09-2009 11:51am

Hey just to let you know, that I tried Dizzyblond's recipe for the chicken curry above over the weekend and it was a success! Makes a lovely thick curry and not a tomato flavour(apart from the wee bit of tomato puree!) in sight!:D

Dizzyblonde · 28-09-2009 3:58pm

Glad you enjoyed it

Honey-ec · 28-09-2009 11:05pm

This is a variation on a korma - nary a tomato in sight! I don't really do quantities, I measure everything by sight, so apologies if this is a bit vague. Serves 2.

3 chicken fillets, diced
As much natural yoghurt as you want - I usually use about 250ml
3 cloves garlic
1" piece of root ginger, peeled & roughly chopped
1 large onion, finely diced
1 red & 1 yellow pepper, diced
1 tbsp cumin seed
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp paprika
Chilli flakes to taste (I use a lot!)
Handful of cashew nuts
Juice of 1 lemon

1) Crush the garlic and ginger into a paste in a pestle and morter, using a little rock salt as grist. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, garlic & ginger paste, yoghurt, onion, peppers, both types of cumin, turmeric, paprika and chilli flakes. Allow to marinate for at least an hour, but the longer the better.

2) Cook the chicken mixture in a large wok/pan over a low-medium heat for about half an hour. 10 minutes before serving, add the cashew nuts and the lemon juice, taste and adjust the seasoning if needs be. If it's too watery, turn up the heat and let it reduce a bit. If it's too thick, add a little cooking water from the rice, which you should also be cooking at this stage!

3) Enjoy!

looperman1000 · 02-10-2009 8:40am

Dizzyblonde. What a curry. Had it last night. Goooooorgeous! Very tasty. A little spicy for my opposite number, a little tame for me. You can't win them all! She said she'd have it with yoghurt next time, i could perhaps add some chili flakes next time :-)

Dizzyblonde · 02-10-2009 10:14am

looperman1000 wrote: »

Dizzyblonde. What a curry. Had it last night. Goooooorgeous! Very tasty. A little spicy for my opposite number, a little tame for me. You can't win them all! She said she'd have it with yoghurt next time, i could perhaps add some chili flakes next time :-)

Everyone I've given that recipe to likes it! Your OH should try it with a dollop of mango chutney on the side next time, that's what I do

Healthy Chicken Curry?

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