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Mint chicken curry

5

  • Prep Time10 mins
  • Total Time10 mins
  • Makes4 to 6 servings
*PLUS Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 onion

  • 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, or 500-g chicken strips

  • 2 to 3 tsp olive oil

  • 2 tbsp minced fresh ginger, or 2 tsp bottled minced ginger

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced

  • 398-mL can light coconut milk

  • 2 tsp mild curry paste, or 1 tsp hot curry paste

  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin, optional

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 1 medium apple

  • 1 bell pepper, preferably orange or yellow

  • 1 medium bunch or bag of spinach, about 284 g

  • 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint

Instructions

  • Coarsely chop onion. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch (1-cm) wide bite-size strips. Heat 2 teaspoons (10 mL) oil in a large wide frying pan, preferably non-stick, set over medium heat. When oil is hot, add chicken and stir-fry until golden-tinged, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate.

  • Then add onion, ginger and garlic to pan. If necessary, add another teaspoon (5 mL) oil. Sauté, stirring often, until onion is softened, about 7 minutes. If necessary, reduce heat to medium-low so ginger and garlic do not brown.

  • Add coconut milk, curry paste, cumin, if using, and salt. Stir and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, core apple. Peel if you like, then chop or slice. Immediately stir apple into sauce. Boil sauce, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until apple is almost tender and sauce is thickened, from 8 to 10 minutes.

  • Meanwhile, seed pepper. Slice into thin strips, then cut into bite-size pieces. Wash spinach. Remove and discard any thick stems. Once sauce is thick, taste and add more curry paste, if needed. Stir in pepper strips, chicken and chicken juices. Gradually stir in spinach by the handful, then add half of mint. Stir constantly, just until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Serve over rice or toss with pasta, then sprinkle with remaining mint.


Nutrition (per serving)

Calories 194, Protein 19.7g, Carbohydrates 13.5g, Fat 7.2g, Fibre 2.8g, Sodium 195mg.

Many supermarkets now stock cans of coconut milk and jars of curry paste, making an authentic-tasting curry a winner on busy nights. Use light coconut milk, as we've done here, and in about 30 minutes you can have a healthful curry--delicious over rice or pasta--on the table.

Spice tip

Instead of curry paste, try whole spices. Measure 1 tablespoon (15 mL) cumin seeds, 2 teaspoons (10 mL) coriander seeds and 1 teaspoon (5 mL) each of mustard seeds and black peppercorns into a large, wide heavy frying pan. Do not add any liquid or fat. Place over medium heat and stir often until very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Grind seeds and peppercorns in a blender, mini-chopper or pepper mill. Set aside. Instead of adding curry paste to coconut milk, add these ground spices and 1 teaspoon (5 mL) each of finely minced jalapeño pepper and salt.

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