Simple Chicken and Coconut Curry

I was preparing to make a simple salad for the blog this week.  A combination of finely sliced sprouts, caramelised roasted sweet potato and lightly toasted pecans, all drizzled with a light lemony herb dressing.  Fresh, crisp, full of flavour, I thought it was just the thing to help boost the immune system and banish the January blues.  Then I looked out the window.  It’s freezing cold, wet and miserable here, the sky is grey and each time I venture out I have to wrap my hands in whatever wool is to hand (that will be a pair of gloves then) and pace to my destination, breathing puffs of frozen air into my scarf to keep my lower face warm.  Lovely as I know it will be – and I may well work on it a little later - I don’t want a salad to eat, I want something warming, nourishing and hot!  Curry is the answer, of course it is – who, after all, doesn’t love a curry?

This is the quickest and easiest of curries: with a little prep, a little more marinating and a blast of cooking you have a delicious, rich and fragrant dish which I think does more for body and soul in January than any raw salad or seaweed juice ever could.  I’ve chosen to use chicken thighs because I think they hold the best flavour, but feel free to use whatever cut or indeed meat that you like.  The spices are a simple blend and are in no way gospel.  Use whatever you have and miss out whatever you haven’t - that’s the beauty of making a curry; you can flavour it to whatever heights you like.  I like this combination of spices and I think the coconut milk is key, adding creaminess and a buttery note.  You could however use cashew nuts to thicken the sauce, as I’ve done here in this Lamb Korma.  Serve with white basmati rice and a handful of coriander leaves – it’ll keep the cold and blues at bay.

SIMPLE CHICKEN AND COCONUT CURRY

Serves 4

8 skinless and boneless chicken thighs

1 large white onion

2 cloves of garlic

½ tin coconut milk

2 tsp garam masala

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp ground coriander

½ - 1 tsp chilli powder – depending on how hot you like it

½ tsp black mustard seeds

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp mixed spice

2 tbsp tomato puree

Juice of half a lemon

2 tbsp groundnut oil

A bunch of fresh coriander

Stir together the coconut milk, lemon juice and all of the spices in a large mixing bowl until blended.  Make a few diagonal cuts, about 1cm deep, on each chicken thigh and then place them in the marinade, leave to marinate for 2 – 24 hours. 

Preheat the oven to 220c (200c Fan).  Finely slice the garlic and cut the onion into thin half moons.  Heat the oil in a large, shallow heavy based casserole, fry the onion and garlic until softened and just starting to colour.  Add the chicken thighs and sauce into the casserole, season well and then bake in the oven for 30 - 35 minutes.  Serve on a bed of basmati rice with a scattering of torn coriander leaves over the top.

Sticky Marmalade Chicken

Whether it’s a picnic in the park, food for a camping trip or a snack for a long journey, ‘travel food’, as I like to call it, can be a bit of a problem for those of us with food allergies and intolerances.  When you’re in your own space and familiar surroundings, you know where the nearest meal can be found, what’s on offer to you and what, and where, is out of bounds.  Visiting somewhere new can throw up a few technical issues: unfamiliar shops, restaurants and locations mean that mealtimes can become a lottery you would rather avoid, and let’s not get started on the direness of service stations ‘restaurants’ and shops.  They make me want to cry.  No, unless you have a very large and accessible Marks & Spencer’s food hall in the near vicinity, for someone with food sensitivities buying a quick bite to eat is a complex, risky and unsatisfying experience.

Over the years, I’ve discovered way and means to counteract this negativity.  I travel in a very organised way, my luggage carries as much dairy-free milk and gluten-free grains as it does clothes, if not more, to be honest.  I bring self-made picnics for journeys, I arrive at hotels with individual portions ready to supplement the inclusive breakfast, I plan shops to markets for fresh fruit, vegetables and meats, and I always carry a grain free slice or snack in my bag.  All of which makes me look like a highly-strung obsessive, but also means that I get to eat breakfast, lunch and supper just like everyone else, so I can live with that.  I have no issue with eating in an allergy-free way, in fact, I’d say it’s positively good for the soul, but I do mind missing out on a cup of tea and a biscuit and so, as in all things in life, preparation is key and putting a bit of effort in can do wonders.

These sticky marmalade chicken drumsticks are marvellous for a picnic, camping trip, alfresco lunch, impromptu barbeque, simple supper and long car journey – eat them cold with a simple salad and some decent wet wipes to hand.

STICKY MARMALADE CHICKEN

Serves 4

8 chicken drumsticks

2 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp lemon juice

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

3 tbsp marmalade

Prepare the chicken by cutting three slashes on each, about ½ cm deep.  Place the chicken in a large, sealable freezer bag, pour over the olive oil, lemon juice and garlic, season well, seal the bag and mix together so that all of the chicken gets coated in the marinade.  Place in the fridge to marinate for 3 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 200c.  Take the chicken from the fridge and add the marmalade, mix well so that the marmalade is evenly distributed and then leave the chicken for 20 minutes to come up to room temperature.  Place the drumsticks on a roasting tray and cook in the oven for 35 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is golden and cooked through.