Chicken Curry

This is a colorful, healthy and spicy chicken curry.

In my family we all love chicken fillet. So I decided to make a different dish as we usually have for lunch (either fried or cooked). As lately we found our love for Asian tastes I was looking around for a recipe also to try out my homemade curry paste. But honestly, I could not find anything making me enthusiastic. In the recipes I found there was the one or the other thing in preparation or ingredients I did not like, but they gave me an idea of how to make my own curry.

While I was visiting Canada in my early 20th I stayed for a few days with a family origin from India. The father was a good friend and former co-worker of my father. I loved the food his wife was cooking. I even got a recipe of a chicken dish she made which I liked very much. She told me that she always fries the spices in some oil to develop their aromas before adding all other things.

As chicken broth cube I prefer to use one with no (or reduced) salt as the curry paste contains already salt. If necessary you can add some more salt at the end of cooking.

It is even possible to make this dish vegan style. Just leave away the meat and replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.

What you need:
500gr chicken fillet
1 bunch spring onions
2 garlic cloves
1-2 fresh chili peppers (or 1 tsp chili flakes)
1 zucchini
1 carrot
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1-2 Tbsp homemade curry paste
1 stick lemon grass
125 gr bamboo sprouts (optional)
Juice of 1 lime
200 ml coconut milk
400 ml chicken broth
Salt

How to prepare:
Cut the white and the green part of the spring onions in 2cm long rhombus’. Set the green part aside.

Cut the bell peppers lengthwise in 0.5cm thick stripes and the zucchini and the carrot in appox. 0.3 cm thick Julienne (stripes).

Chop the garlic and the chili pepper (if you like you can cut the chili pepper into rings).

Remove the outer hard part of the lemon grass, cut lengthwise into four and then chop finely.

Cut the bamboo sprout into thinner stripes.

Cut the chicken fillet into bite-sized cubes and slightly salt.

In a large casserole heat the sesame oil on high. As soon as the oil is hot enough reduce the heat and add the chicken cubes. Let fry until the meat took color. Remove from the casserole and set aside.

Add into the same casserole the white onions, the bell pepper, zucchini, carrot, garlic and bamboo sprouts. Let fry until glassy.

Add the curry paste, stir and let cook until you can smell the aroma of the paste. Do not worry if it sticks a bit to the bottom of the casserole.

Deglaze with the chicken broth and coconut milk. Add the chili pepper (or chili flakes) and the lemon grass and let cook with open lid for 15-20 minutes until the meat got tender.

Add some lime juice to taste and eventually some more salt.

Before serving sprinkle with the green of the spring onion. Serve with Basmati or Jasmin rice.