Roast chicken curry with Clearspring Organic Rice Trio

Having spatchcocked the chicken, placed it on a trivet of sweet potatoes and onions and originally intending to make a roast dinner out of it, I changed my mind when the chicken was cooked and had come out of the oven, so I made a quick & easy chicken curry out of it instead.  Here's how:

For the roast chicken:

1 large chicken

2 sweet potatoes, quartered

2 medium onions, quartered

200ml cold water

For the curry:

1 Knorr Curry Flavour pot

30ml/2tbs Mango chutney (or to taste)

To serve:

80g Clearspring Quick Cook Organic Rice Trio (per person)

Fresh coriander, chopped

1. Heat the oven to 180C.

2. Turn the chicken onto it's breast and, using a pair of robust scissors, cut down each side of the spine to remove it.

3. Turn the chicken over and open out the legs and the wings.

4. Press down on the ribcage until it cracks and the chicken flattens out.

5. Peel and quarter the sweet potatoes and onions.

6. Place into the centre of a large roasting dish and place the chicken on top, breast & skin side up.

7. Pour in 200ml cold water & cover tightly with foil.

8. Roast for 1 1/2-2 hours until well cooked.

9. Remove the chicken from the pan, cover and allow to rest.

10. Pour the meat juices, sweet potato and onions into a saucepan and add the Knorr Curry Flavour Pot.

11. Bring to the boil and then add the mango chutney, adjusting the quantity to taste.

12. Blitz the curry sauce with a stick blender until smooth.

13. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, then add the Clearspring rice trio.

14. Gently boil the rice for 10 minutes, or until cooked and then drain.

15. Meanwhile, flake the chicken into pieces.

16. Serve the rice, making a hollow in the centre.

17. Add the flaked chicken to the centre of the rice and spoon some curry sauce over the top.

18. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with naan bread.

The Clearspring Rice Trio was sent to me free of charge to sample.  All other ingredients were purchased by me personally and were not sponsored. I was under no obligation to publish content using the box of rice sent to me. We found the rice trio combination to be tasty, as well as enjoying the different textures of the Basmati, long grain brown and the Wholegrain rice.

Curry paste - the homemade version

In 1989, just after we got married, I bought a book on Curries by Pat Chapman from Sainsbury's.  Despite now owning several other curry recipe books, it's still our 'go to' book for all things spicy!  We've been blending the spices into curry powder and cooking it out in to a curry paste ever since then.  It's been tried and tested by many a guest to our house over the years, and as I used almost the last of my current batch making my chicken curry for dinner last night, I had to make some more today.  The benefit of making it today in the warm, dry weather, meant that I could cook it outdoors on my Cadac barbeque in the paella pan; sharing the amazing aroma with my neighbours and leaving my house smelling fragrant and not spicy for the next few days!

It's incredibly simple to do, so here it is in it's entirety.  All teaspoon measurements are ROUNDED.

12tsp Ground Coriander

6tsp Ground Cumin

5tsp Gram flour

5tsp Garlic powder

4tsp Fenugreek seeds

4tsp Paprika*

4tsp Turmeric

4tsp Garam Masala

1tsp Asafoetida

1tsp Ground Ginger

1tsp Chilli powder*

1tsp Mustard powder*

1tsp White ground Pepper

250ml Cider vinegar

250ml Vegetable oil

1. Measure all your ingredients into a large bowl.

2. Pour in your cider vinegar and enough cold water to make a paste that 'dollops' off the spoon without being too runny.

3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok (I used my paella pan on my Cadac).

4. Add the curry paste (be careful as it'll spit initially due to the water content).

5. Cook for about 15 minutes until the water has evaporated.  You'll know it's cooked as when you leave it for a short while, the oil will rise to the surface of the paste.

6. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then decant into sterilised jars.

7. Heat a little more oil and pour over the top of the curry paste to prevent air getting to it.

8. Seal the jars and store in a cool, dark place for a couple of weeks before using.

The recipe above is for a mild curry paste, however if you increase the quantities of Paprika, Chiili and Mustard you can increase the heat to your own preference. Similarly, if you don't have all the ingredients listed above, it's fine to leave one or two of the smaller quantities out.

This goes perfectly in my Chicken Curry Recipe.

The curry paste recipe is NOT originally my own, but it's one we've been using for 25 years now. Thanks to Pat Chapman and to Sainsbury's for a fabulous book - you should re-publish this!

Rosie's Chicken Curry

Welcome back, I really didn't realise it had been so long since I last posted!

My creation for you this week?  CHICKEN CURRY!  Curry is a real favourite in my house (to adults and children alike) - not the jar, supermarket cook-chill or take-away kind but good, honest, home made using only the freshest and finest ingredients.

I don't use curry sauces or even curry paste from jars but blend my own spices then mix them with vinegar before cooking them off in vegetable oil.  At some point in the future, I'll share the curry paste recipe with you, but for now, here's the recipe for my chicken curry.  It feeds 4 in our household and there's always a leftover portion for tomorrow.

1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 small chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1/2" piece of ginger, finely chopped
Vegetable oil
3-4 chicken breasts, cubed into bite sized pieces
1tbs curry paste (or to taste) Pataks etc.
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 pint chicken stock
Tin coconut milk
2oz sultanas (handful or two!)
1 eating apple, cubed
1tbs Mango chutney
1 bunch fresh coriander
Basmati rice

1.  Add a little bit of oil to a large pan (I always use my wok to cook mine.

2.   Add the onion, garlic, chilli and ginger.

3. Fry until the onion is transparent then add the chicken.

4.  Cook until the chicken has browned

5. Add the curry paste and lemon juice.

6.  Cook for 2-3 minutes to flavour the chicken.

7.  Add the stock and boil rapidly to reduce by approximately 1/3.

8.  Add the sultanas, chopped apple, mango chutney and coconut milk.

9.  Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer while preparing your rice.

10. Measure your rice into a large bowl/jug.

11.  Cover with boiling water, stir and leave to soften the rice kernels.

12.  Bring a saucepan of water to the boil.  I always use the largest saucepan that I have to give the rice plenty of space to float about and therefore not stick together.

13.  Drain the rice from the bowl/jug and add to the pan of water.  Stir through.  Return the water to the boil and then reduce the heat to give a gentle simmer.  Cook uncovered for 7-8 minutes or until cooked.

14.  While the curry continues to cook, stir it occasionally and use the time to give your work space a good clean down.

15.  Roughly chop the coriander.

16. Add the coriander to the curry and stir through.  Turn off the heat.

17.  Drain the rice through a sieve.  Your rice should be perfectly cooked, light and fluffy with no starchy stickiness.

18.  Serve with naan breads, poppadums etc.

19. End result.....

Enjoy and if you do follow my recipe and like the result, then please return and leave me a comment.

Thanks.

Rosie
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