Chicken and Pistachio Curry

There’s a wonderful Indian restaurant near where I live that serves chicken in a pistachio sauce. This is my version of it to make at home it is a mild aromatic and creamy dish. You can replace the pistachios with ground almonds if you prefer – this would also mean that you can make it without a food processor – just finely chop the garlic and ginger. I would also like to try a vegetarian version – perhaps with aubergine or butternut squash and chunks of courgette, just softened a little in oil then added back into the nut paste and spices instead of the chicken.  Sometimes I double the pistachios and grind them quite finely before adding the garlic and ginger, in this case I replace the coconut milk with 200ml of water and then it is less creamy but more wonderfully green and pistachio flavoured and probably nearer to the one in the restaurant.
Serve this with a big pile of rice and some minted yoghurt.

Serves 2 adults and 2 children

6 cloves garlic, peeled

4cm cube ginger peeled and roughly chopped

100g unsalted pistachio kernels

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

600 - 700g boneless and skinless chicken thighs (or breasts), cut into large dice

5 cardamom pods

1 tsp fennel seeds (optional)

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 green chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped (optional)
5 cardomom pods (optional)

½ tsp garam masala

300ml coconut milk
300ml water

1. Put the garlic, ginger and pistachios into a food processor or blender and blend till you have a smoothish paste – add a little oil to loosen them if needed.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large frying pan and brown the chicken in batches, do not overcrowd the pan
3. When the chicken pieces are browned on all sides, remove them with a slotted spoon to a plate and fry the next batch until all the pieces     are browned
4. Remove them all to a plate, add the remaining oil to the pan and add the garlic, ginger and nut paste – fry stirring for a few minutes
5. Add the spices and fry stirring for another minute
6. Return the chicken pieces to the pan with any juices, water and the coconut milk
7. Bring to the boil then turn the heat to low and simmer for 35mins until tender
8. Turn the chicken pieces from time to time to ensure they cook evenly and add a little water to the pan if the sauce is getting too thick and starting to stick.
9. Season to taste

NB you can always add the chilli at the end if some family members do not like things spicy and you can also add more chilli if you want too!   

Chocolate Beans

This might sound crazy but it is a wonderful dish, quick, cheap, delicious and healthy. You can make more of a meal of it with a pot of guacamole, salsa and some grated cheese if you like. I love to mop up the sauce with brown rice or flour tortillas.  The idea came from a similar dish when I was on holiday a few years back, in a little vegi café in Berkley, they served it with a big pile of brown rice, fresh tomato salsa, guacamole and some tortilla chips stuck into the top. My preference is for pinto or borlotti beans as they are fat and creamy.  

1 tin beans (black-eyed, pinto, borlotti or black beans)

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons cumin

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon mixed herbs or oregano

¼ teaspoon chilli powder

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons tomato puree

1 pint stock*

Olive oil

1 level tablespoon cocoa powder

To serve – sour cream or natural yoghurt.

1. Drain and rinse beans

2. Warm garlic in oil until it starts to sizzle slightly

3. Add cumin, paprika, cocoa, chilli and mixed herbs/oregano and mix well

4. Add beans to pan and mix well. Stir over a medium heat for one minute

5. Add tomato puree and crumbled stock cube, mix well

6. Add water and season with salt and pepper

7. Simmer for 20 minutes over a medium heat till liquid has reduced and you have a thick sauce.

Top with a spoonful of sour cream or yoghurt and serve with flour tortillas or brown rice.

* You can use stock that you have made yourself or make it up with a stock cube or bouillon powder

 

Hello again

I stopped blogging my recipes for a long time as life (moving house, changing job, hanging out with my little boy and trying to fit in having fun) just took over. But over the last couple of years I have gathered up many of my recipes, reading old notebooks and scrapbooks and chasing up originals that I had passed on to friends and family when my current versions had evolved beyond regognition. I am going to start posting them here. I would love your feedback to tell me if you liked them or if you think that they would benefit from any tweeks or additions.

Watch this space...