Stir Fried Beef with Black Beans

Stir Fried Beef with black beans

This one is based on Rick Stein's Far Eastern Odyssey dish, but to be frank, as a stir fry, you can depart as much as you like from the recipe and make it your own. I usually have omissions and inclusions, some of which I will highlight. Despite the length of the ingredients list and methods, this is extremely quick to prepare and cook - even more so when you get the idea of the various tastes. 

Ingredients
Steak - c. 500g of rump, Sirloin, frying steak or even fillet - trimmed of all fat and sliced across the grain into strips between 3mm and 5mm. (Note - this is made easier by putting your steak in the freezer for about 15-20 mins. once sliced though, bring back up to room temp before cooking)
4 tbsp Chinese fermented salted black beans
4 tsp Palm sugar/ Jaggery
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp shrimp paste
2tsp cornflour/ Arrowroot powder (ensure you slake this in a cup with a little water before adding to hot stock to ensure no lumps)
6 tbsp Infused Chicken Stock (*See below)
3 tbsp vegetable oil/ Peanut oil/ Groundnut oil/ Coconut oil
50g peeled ginger, finely shredded
20g garlic, finely chopped
2-4 red chillies, chopped
4 stalks lemongrass, core finely chopped
2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
Supermarket pack of two bok choi/ Pak choi, cut across into 3cm or so slices
225g bamboo shoots, drained, rinsed and sliced
2 tbsp kecap Manis (*See below)
Optional extras - Any other greenery you fancy - e.g. Spring onions, mange tout, halved, green beans etc; Noodles - either straight to wok type or prepared separately as per Vietnamese Pho Bo recipe on this blog; 
Fresh squeezed Lime Juice to taste
Chopped Coriander to serve (you can also include chopped thai basil or mint if you like)

Infused Chicken Stock
If you have time, by all means do the job properly and make Rick's Asian Chicken Stock. If not however, here is a speedier and easier alternative which does the job and you can freeze ahead of time. 
This makes 500ml. 
Take 1 decent chicken stock cube (I use Kallo organic) plus 1 tsp Bouillon vegetable stock powder and crumble into pan. mix 600ml boiling water and put on low simmer.
Add 2 bruised cloves garlic; 4cm fresh peeled ginger, sliced and bruised; 1 star anise; 1 tsp whole black peppercorns.
Optional - I also add 1 tbsp finely chopped lemongrass core, 2 chopped green chillies and 1 tbsp fresh green peppercorns. PLUS - a dash of nam pla.
Add all the above into the stock and bring to the boil. Cover, remove from heat and leave to infuse for as long as you can but at least 30 mins.

Kecap Manis - Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce
In a small saucepan bring to the boil 3 tbsp Soy sauce with 5 tbsp Palm sugar/ soft brown sugar (1/4 cup Soy sauce with 1/4 + 1/8 cup Sugar). Reduce to consistency of maple syrup - although not too much as it will thicken as it cools.

Method

• Mash the black beans, sugar, sesame oil and shrimp paste into a coarse paste in a bowl with back of a spoon
• Mix the cornflour/ arrowroot with the stock and set aside
• Heat up the wok until smoking. Add vegetable oil
• Add Ginger, garlic, chilli and when starting to colour, add the bean and shrimp paste mixture and stir
• Add the beef and lemongrass and stir fry for a minute
• Add the rice wine, bamboo shoots and the harder greenery such as beans if using and stir fry for 30 secs
• Add the bok choi (and spring onions if using) and stir fry for a few more seconds until bok choi is wilted
• Add the kecap manis and cornflower & stock mixture (and the noodles if using) and toss together until the noodles are coated and the sauce has thickened
• Adjust seasoning to taste - it should be salty and sweet plus add a little more stock if your dish is a little dry
• Serve immediately, With some wedges of fresh lime and chopped coriander. 

Chicken Biryani

First off - posting a recipe for a Biryani is similar to posting recipes for Paellas, Cassoulets and so on - there is always going to be huge disagreement. So I ask you to bear with me, and either try this, or go with your own recipe!

I can tell you that this particular recipe, which combines elements from Mr Stein, Kaushy Patel and myself did not disappoint - learned some lessons along the way which I shall incorporate into the method section!

I've made this Biryani with cumin infused rice - which I liked because it adds further caramalised onions into the finished dish, and I like onions. (I inadvertently ate too many of the crispy onions whilst cooking the rest of the dish so worked out for the best)



Chicken Biryani with cumin infused rice and hot mint raita


Ingredients

3 large chicken breasts/ 500g thighs etc

Marinade
250ml natural yoghurt
6 cloves (30g) garlic, finely pulped
6cm (30g) fresh root ginger, finely pulped
4 fresh green finger chillies, finely sliced in rounds, seeds left in
2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
2 tsp Dhania Jeera (or 1 tsp each ground coriander and cumin if you don't have this made - spice mix elsewhere on this blog)
1 tsp Tumeric

Crispy fried onions
300ml sunflower oil
3 medium red onions finely sliced, plus 3 echalion/ banana shallots finely sliced
10 whole cloves
6 cm piece cinnamon stick
8 green cardamom pods, bashed slighly with pestle but still intact
2 or 3 indian bay leaves - note that ordinary bay leaves are NOT a substitute - if you don't have these, try adding a tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp salt

Rice
300g Basmati rice
75ml sunflower oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium red onion, finely sliced
3 echalion shallots, finely sliced
1 tsp salt

To assemble
100g ghee, clarified butter or 100ml sunflower oil/ coconut oil
About 4 or 5 strands saffron soaked in 4 tbsp warmed milk for 15 mins
2 tsp rosewater
Handful plain cashew nuts, dry roasted in pan
Handful plain pistachio nuts, dry roasted in pan

Raita
250ml Natural Yoghurt
2 tbsp Hot Mint Jelly *See elsewhere on blog

Method

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl, add in the chicken pieces and toss with your hands until thoroughly coated. Cover with cling film and marinate for at least an hour

Now make the onions: heat the oil in a large heavy pan over medium heat. Add the onions and fry for 10-15 mins or so until golden. Remove with slotted spoon and place on kitchen roll to drain. Set to one side and try not to eat them.
Pour most of the excess oil into a jug, leaving about 3 tbsp remaining in the pan.

Next, add the whole spices to the pan and fry for about a minute, then add the chicken with all its marinade, and ground cinnamon if you didn't have Indian bay leaves.

Bring to a simmer, then add the tomatoes and salt. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 mins until the chicken is just cooked. Keep warm.

Now for the rice.
Rinse the rice twice in a sieve under warm water then drain. Heat the oil (use the left over oil from the onions) in a fairly large pan for a minute on medium heat then stir in the cumin seeds. Watch them carefully to ensure they don't burn - when they start turning brown, stir in the onions.
Increase the heat to high and cover the pan. Cook for 2 mins at a time, stirring each pause until the onions are dark brown but not burnt. This should take about 8 mins total.
Add in the rice, stir gently, add the salt and 900ml boiling water. Boil, uncovered for 7 mins until the rice begins to look dry, then place foil tucked round the edges of the rice within the pan, then put the lid on, turn the heat down to minimum and cook for further 7 mins. Remove from heat and you are then ready to assemble the next phase. (Do not allow to cool too much - you want to crack on at this point)

First put about 3 tbsp water and half the ghee/ butter/ oil in the bottom of a heavy casserole type pan, and spoon in about a third of the rice. Sprinkle over about a third of the saffron milk and rosewater, followed by half the chicken. (Note: If your chicken still has a fair amount of "sauce" still in the pan, use a slotted spoon to transfer into the casserole dish to ensure not too much liquid comes with it. This will make the rice too soggy).
Then add a a layer of about a third of the crispy onions. Repeat the above then finish with the last of the rice, splash over the remainng saffron milk and rosewater. Set aside the remaining onions though - you'll want them to garnish later.

Drizzle the remaining ghee/ oil around the edge of the pan (you may find it helpful to run a spatula around the edge first so the oil runs down the inside of the pan)
Put over a high heat until you can see steam rising from the water and ghee - then tuck foil around the edge of the rice, followed by the lid. Turn down the heat to minimum and cook for 30 mins.

Spoon out onto large platter, scatter with the remaining onions, the roasted nuts and some fresh chopped coriander. Serve with the raita.

Thoran ~ Dry curry of Cabbage, Carrot & Coconut

Of course, the recipe is for Cabbage, but you can use whatever you have avaiable. I mixed Curly Kale and Savoy Cabbage.
This is another Keralan dish from Rick Stein's India.

Tarka Dal top, Thoran below.

Ingredients

3tbsp coconut oil (readily available online) or you can use Sunflower, Rapeseed, Peanut etc
3 tsp black/ brown mustard seeds
2 tbsp fresh curry leaves* (I use 2 tsp Curry leaf powder - dried leaves don't seem to do much)
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 or 3 dried kashmiri chillies - ripped into 2 or 3 pieces each
30g/ 6cm piece root ginger, finely grated
3 cloves garlic - finely chopped and mashed to paste (*Optional)
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
Greens! I used 1 medium savoy cabbage, chiffonaded to about 5mm and half a typical supermarket bag of curly kale
2 carrots, diced to 1/2cm or so
2 fresh green chillies, sliced into thin rounds, seeds left in
100g fresh or frozen coconut, finely grated

Method

Heat the oil over medium heat in heavy based saute pan. When oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, followed by the fresh curry leaves (if using), cumin seeds and dried chillies. Stir for about 30 secs, then add the ginger, (and garlic if using) followed by the curry leaf powder (if using), turmeric, salt and black pepper. Fry for another 30 secs
Stir in the cabbage/ greens and carrots and cook, covered over a medium heat for about 5-7 mins, until the vegetables are tender - you can add a splash of water if required
Stir in the green chillies and the coconut. Heat through for a minute or so, then serve.

I like to make this with quite a kick so used some pretty powerful green chillies. If you are using ones from supermarkets make sure they are finger chillies/ birds eye rather than the fatter "medium" ones. (Or just use more medium ones)

Butter Chicken / Murgh Makhani

The Christmas Break is over, and I now have time once again to devote to this blog - apologies for the lack of posts recently!

We commence with Butter Chicken - this recipe based on Rick Steins India version - and it is fabulous if made with care!
Complimenting this was the ubiquitous Green Coriander Rice, Tarka Dal and something new - Thoran - which I will post separately.



Butter Chicken, Lila Dhania Baath, Thoran & Tarka Dal



A great feast with great friends!

SO, to the Butter Chicken:

Ingredients

4 large skinless chicken breasts, each cut into 2 or 3 big chunks

Marinade 1
Juice of 2 limes
2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
1 tsp Salt

Mariande 2
50g Natural Yoghurt
50g Double Cream
20g/ 4 cloves garlic - finely chopped
25g/ 5cm root ginger - finely chopped
1 tsp Garam Masala - see elsewhere on this blog
1 1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 1/2 tsp Dhania Jeera (See Masala dabba) - or half and half ground coriander and ground cumin

Sauce
50g Ghee / Unsalted clarified butter / Sunflower or Coconut oil
25g/ 5 cloves garlic - finely crushed
25g/ 5cm root ginger - finely grated
400g Tomato passata
1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
1 1/2 tsp Dhania Jeera -or half and half ground coriander and ground cumin
1 tsp ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp dessicated coconut
1 1/2 tsp salt
200ml water
25g cashew nuts (Plain)
25g pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp boiling water
1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves/ 1 tsp ground fenugreek
1 1/2 tsp Curry leaf powder
1/2 tsp caster sugar
50 ml Double cream

To finish
Pinch of Chat masala (elsewhere on this blog)
Big handful of fresh coriander - thin stalks very finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped
15g/ 3cm root ginger - very finely shredded

Method

Mix the first mariande ingredients in large bowl, add chicken, stir around, cover with cling film and place in fridge for an hour or so

For the second marinade mix all the ingredients together - in a food processor if you like but I left as per ingredients list. Add to the chicken bowl and mix well (get your hands in there!). Cover and return to fridge for at least 4 hours

Preheat oven to 240 degrees C/ Gas 9 or as high as oven will go. Or boot up the BBQ.

Using either skewers or a grill rack, you want to lightly char all the chicken pieces but not cook them through and certainly not drying them out - they finish cooking in the sauce later

For the sauce: heat the Ghee/ oil of medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and fry for a minute (take care not to let this burn), then add the tomato passata and bring to a simmer for 5 mins. Add all the spices, coconut, salt and 100ml of the water and simmer for a further 10 mins. In a mini blitzer/ food processor, or using a pestle and mortar, blend the cashew nuts, pumpkin seeds and boiling water into a paste. Stir this into the sauce, followed by the chicken pieces and another 100ml water.
Simmer for 10 mins, check the chicken is completely cooked through, then stir in the fenugreek, sugar, cream and the coriander stalks - simmer for a further 2 mins. Sprinkle with the chat masala, garnish with the coriander leaves and the shredded ginger, then serve.

PS: I confess to using more cream than the recipe. I also made this again the following day using some beef I had (I've never heard of Butter Beef but the sauce is so good.....why not!). I caution that if using beef, you must leave simmering much longer and using more water in the stages prior to the final cream addition.

Chicken Pickle

Rather curious one this - again from Rick Stein's India - and time to introduce a new ingredient!

Mustard Oil. This is available online and in the EU at least, you will notice that the bottle specifies for External Use Only. Rick also mentions this in his book, but notes that in a fair bit of research, he can find no evidence that links any major health problems with internal consumption! (I'm still alive too so.....). Therefore, I must responsibly point out the potential issue and hereby instruct you to do your own research and decide for yourself whether or not you wish to use it.  If not, you could always take Sunflower oil and warm gently with a good handful of mustard seeds and infuse it. I might try this at some point and then I'll repost this with timings and temps if it works! :-)

So, Once more unto the breach, dear friends......

Ingredients:
The Chicken -
500g Skinless boneless chicken cut into 2cm pieces (thighs or breasts, whichever you prefer)
1 tsp Dried Red Chilli Flakes
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 1/2 tsp salt
8 cloves garlic, crushed
50g Ginger, pulped
The spice mix -
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1 1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
1 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp garam masala (elsewhere on this blog)
To Finish -
300ml mustard oil (or Vegetable oil - or indeed a mix of the two!)
2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
pinch Asafoetida
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
50g ginger, finely chopped
150ml White Wine Vinegar
To Serve -
Parathas - plus I made Aloo Gobi with Deep fried Paneer thrown in at the end (I needed to use up some paneer and it was also nice to snack on whilst cooking everything else!)

Method:
1. Mix chicken with chilli flakes, turmeric, salt, garlic, ginger and leave to marinate for at least an hour
2. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds, black mustard seeds and fennel seeds, then leave to cool and grind to fine powder. Add the garam masala & mix well
3. Heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add onions and fry for 10-15mins stirring often until golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Keep oil in pan hot.
4. Fry the chicken in the oil in batches for 3-4 mins until cooked. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
5. Add the asafoetida to the oil, followed by the spice mix, garlic and ginger. Fry for 2-3 mins then remove from the heat and add the vinegar. Return to the heat, bringing to a simmer, and add the onions and chicken back in. Cook for about 3-5 mins further, then serve with the parathas, and some chopped fresh coriander

(By the way, you did read correctly that this recipe chews 16 cloves garlic! Happy days!)

#chickenpickle

Beef Vindaloo & Ferar Bataka (Ginger chilli peanut potatoes)

A mini feast created yesterday - Beef Vindaloo; Ferar bataka, Vagareli makai, Lila dhania baath, pickled onion and green chilli salad, Phudino dai!

The Beef Vindaloo comes from Rick Stein India, as does the pickled Onion and green chilli salad, recipe for which can be found on the blog with the Kati Rolls.

The Ferar bataka, Vagareli makai and Lila dhania baath comes, as always, from Kaushy Patel's Prashad recipe book which I always recommend as an essential volume for anyone attempting to explore eastern cuisine.

If you are doing this menu, note that the order of battle is to get the beef in the marinade the day before/ 12 hours or at least 6 hours prior to cooking (variance is due to what type of beef you have selected - see below). Next, get the pickled onion and green chilli salad done.
Assuming you have pre-made your masala for the rice, then you are ready to go on the day, although note that the beef wants to be cooked for 2 hours or so unless you use a pressure cooker.

So, to the Beef Vindaloo. Note this is the proper stuff, and doesn't taste anything like a vindaloo you might get in many Indian restaurants in the UK!
Ingredients:
750g beef - (boneless shin of beef cut into 3cm medallions) - although I simply used diced stewing steak
Marinade:
5cm cinnamon stick
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds (my addition)
1 tsp fennel seeds (my addition)
seeds from circa 12 green cardamom pods
1 onion, roughly chopped
8 cloves garlic, peeled
5 cm root ginger, roughly chopped
2tbsp tamarind liquid
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp palm sugar/ jaggery/ brown sugar
2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric
5 tbsp white wine vinegar
To cook the vindaloo:
2 tbsp(30g) ghee or vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, sliced
3 fresh green chillies, halved lengthways
100ml water

Method:
For the mariande, grind the cinnamon, black peppercorns, cloves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and cardamom to a powder. Put the onion, garlic, ginger, tamarind, salt, sugar, chilli powder, turmeric and vinegar, and all the ground spices into a food processor and blend to a paste. Mix in thoroughly with the beef in a bowl, cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge for the prescribed time above.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 10 mins or so until golden. Increase heat to medium high and add the beef and all the marinade. Fry for 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomatoes, green chillies and water, cover with lid and cook for around 2 hours until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally to check it isn't sticking or going dry - add a splash of water if so.
Sprinkle with some chopped coriander to serve.

Ferar Bataka
This, I loved. Delicious!

Ingredients:
4 medium red-skinned potatoes
5cm root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped, then pulped
6-8 fresh green chillies, sliced into fine rings
100g unsalted butter
80g red skinned, unroasted, unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 lemon quartered, to serve (I forgot this but hey ho!)

Method:
Cut potatoes into 1.5cm cubes, and boil until just cooked.
Melt butter in large pan, reduce heat to low and stir in the ginger and chilli rings. Continue to stir for a minute or so whilst the ginger and chilli infuse the butter. Stir in the peanuts. Increase the heat slightly. Stir in the sugar and salt.
Gently stir in the potatoes so they don't break up, making sure you coat them all in the spiced butter. Cover the pan and cook for 2 mins or so until heated through.

Chole ~ Cinnamon Chickpea Curry

One from the Prashad book here. I made it along with the Chicken Chettinad and Lila Dhania Baath, both found elsewhere on this blog.
Ingredients then:
3x 400g tins chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Sunflower oil
15g Coriander seeds
8cm cinnamon stick
6 dried kashmiri chillies
8 cloves
1 tsp black peppercorns
6 dried Indian bay leaves
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4cm root ginger, finely chopped, then pulped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped, then pulped
2 tsp salt
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp sugar (I used palm sugar but jaggery or dark brown sugar also fine)
2 handfuls freshly chopped coriander

Method:
Place the chickpeas along with 500ml water in a pan over a high heat, bring to the boil for 5 mins, then remove from heat and set aside (do not drain)
heat 4 tsp oil in a pan over a low heat, add coriander seeds, cinnamon, dried Kashmiri chillies, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves and 1 tsp of the cumin seeds. Fry for 5 mins or so, stirring continuously. Set aside to cool.
Heat about 75ml oil in a large pan over a medium heat, add the other tsp cumin seeds and fry until they start to go brown (about a minute tops - make sure you don't let them burn)
Stir in the onions and fry until dark brown, stirring every minute or so.
Stir in the tomatoes, ginger and garlic, salt, chilli powder, turmeric and sugar and increase the heat to high.
Immediately stir in the chickpeas along with their cooking water and an additional 300ml warm water. Cover the pan and leave to simmer for 5 mins, stirring occasionally.
While this is going on, finely grind the cooled roasted spices. Note well: ensure you do not scrimp on this process unless you like pieces of cinnamon bark!
Add to the chickpeas, stir, then remove the pan from the heat.
Sprinkle with chopped coriander then cover the pan and leave to rest for around 10 mins.
Reheat over a medium heat to serve.

Pork Koftas with Cinnamon Chilli Yoghurt

Well, this is supposed to be Keema dhai vada...except I had no Lamb at the time and didn't see any reason why it wouldn't work with some pork I had instead.
On balance: it works fine so give it a go!
Ingredients:
For the Koftas
500g pack minced pork/ lamb etc
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp garam masala - Garam Masala
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
2 cloves garlic, chopped
handful mint leaves
handful coriander leaves
1 tsp salt
Oil,  for frying
For the yoghurt
400ml natural yoghurt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra for sprinkling
Pinch Kashmiri chilli powder, plus extra for sprinkling
Parathas or chapatis to serve.

Method:
Put all the Kofta ingredients except the oil into a food processor and blend until smooth. Get a bowl of water to hand and a platter, and using wet hands each time, take a golf ball sized amount of the mixture and roll to a ball. place on platter.
Heat oil and fry the koftas (in batches if necessary) for 7-10 mins until browned on the outside and cooked through. (be especially careful if using pork)
Yoghurt: mix the whole lot in a bowl! If too thick add some water. Note that my wife and I think that the minted yoghurt sauce elsewhere on this blog works with this equally as well.
Fry up some parathas and server the koftas on top, drizzled with the yoghurt. Sprinkle with extra chilli powder, cinnamon (or my preference.....some chat masala) to taste.

Thakkali Rasam ~ (Pepper & Tomato Sour Soup)

Another from the Rick Stein India book.....with some adaptations.....

Its a delicious sour soup which goes very well as a side dish. It is also extremely easy to make!

Ingredients:
1 tbsp ghee (or 25g unsalted butter and 1tbsp sunflower oil)
1 tsp black/ brown/ red mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 dried kashmiri chilli, broken/ ripped into pieces
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp curry leaf powder or small handful fresh curry leaves
4 large tomatoes, chopped (or can of quality plum tomatoes with some chopped baby plum fresh tomatoes)
3 green chillies chopped
3cm root ginger, very finely chopped
3 tbsp red lentils
50 ml tamarind liquid
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
500ml water
Handful coriander chopped to garnish

Method:
Heat ghee/ oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and Kashmiri chillies - fry until the mustard seeds pop.
Stir in the black pepper and asafoetida, fry for 30 secs, then add the curry leaf powder/ curry leaves, tomatoes, green chillies, ginger, red lentils, tamarind, turmeric, salt and water and simmer for 20-25mins or until lentils are tender.
Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve.

Japanese Chicken Katsu Curry

One inspired from the Hairy Bikers Curry book here, but also because it is one of the wife's favourites in Wagamamas.
Its a tasty dish, with nice contrast between the sticky glutinous rice and the crisp panko breacrumbed moist chicken, with the curry sauce alongside.That said, it isn't a fiery one so good to try on the kids and those who aren't into massive heat.
For those of you who like a little more muscle, you will readily see where you need to add or increase ingredients, or you could do as I did and simply apply large quantities of chat masala sprinkled over the top!

Ingredients:
For the chicken:
Skinless chicken breasts - 2x large ones/ 4x smaller ones
50g or so plain flour
1 large egg
150g Japanese Panko breadcrumbs (widely available in supermarkets and makes all the difference, although stale white breadcrumbs can be used in a pinch)
200ml Sunflower oil
For the sauce:
3 tbsp sunflower oil
2 medium onions or 3-4 banana shallots, roughly chopped
30g piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1-2 tbsp "medium" curry powder (see above plus previous post)
2-3 star anise, ground up in mortar
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
20g plain flour
500ml chicken stock - made with good quality organic stock cube is fine
2 tsp tomato puree
Freshly ground black pepper plus S&P to taste

Method:
Firstly, start with the chicken: Put the breasts between cling film and bash the thicker part with a rolling pin until you have flattened chicken pieces about 2cm thick all around.
Sieve the flour onto a plate large enough for the chicken pieces. Beat the egg into a shallow bowl and finally put the breadcrumbs onto a large platter and spread around.
Dredge the chicken pieces one by one through the flour, then into the beaten egg to coat, and finally into the breadcrumbs, patting them down onto the chicken, turning and ensuring its properly coated.
Place the chicken on a platter carefully, and transfer to the fridge to help the coating "set" onto the chicken. This needs about 30 mins to an hour, during which you can make the sauce and get the rice ready to go.
Sauce: heat the oil in a large pan on medium heat and add the chopped onions. Put the lid on and gently fry for about 8 mins, stirring occasionally until fully softened and pale gold in colour. take lid off and increase heat slightly, cook for another 3 or so minutes until the onions reach a darker gold colour, then decrease the heat and add the ginger and garlic and simmer gently for about 5 mins, stirring every so often.
Stir in the curry powder, star anise, turmeric and some ground black pepper, cook for 2 mins, stirring regularly, then sprinkle over the flour, continuing to stir. Gradually incorporate the chicken stock, stirring all the while, until the mixture is incorporated. Stir in the tomato puree and bring to a simmer; cook for 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Whilst this is cooking, commence the rice - just make plain sticky jasmine rice according to instructions. Remove sauce from heat.
Take a stick blender and blitz. Or tip into food processor.Blitz/ process until you have reached the desired consistency. Cover and set aside whilst you get the chicken.
In a deep frying pan, heat the oil and once hot, carefully place the 2 pieces of chicken in the oil to fry. Keep an eye on it but you want about 4-5 mins each side (but make sure its properly cooked of course)
After you have turned the chicken, put the sauce back on low heat to return to simmer.
Slice the chicken thickly and serve on warmed plates, with scattering of fresh coriander and some sticky rice, with a bowl of the sauce so your guests can help themselves.