Crispy Hemp-Crusted Chicken with Cucumber, Mint & Green Chilli Salad & Curry Yoghurt Dip
I’m pretty sure you will fall in love with this street-food inspired ‘chicken ’n’ chips’ – it’s so simple, the avours are glorious and the crisp, healing crumb can be used for sh too! I bet it becomes your family’s new Friday-night fave!
SERVES 4
2 salt free-range and black eggs, pepper lightly beaten
¾ cup almond meal
¾ cup hemp seeds
6 tbsp white sesame seeds
3 tbsp black sesame seeds (or extra
white if not available)
2 tbsp coriander seeds, roughly
crushed
2 2 tsp tsp ground sweet smoked turmeric paprika
½ tsp cayenne
400 g skinless chicken breast, cut
into strips, or tenderloins
about 100 ml coconut oil, for frying
4 stems of fresh curry leaves
1 lemon, quartered, to serve
CURRY YOGHURT DIP
1 cup plain unsweetened yoghurt or
coconut yoghurt
1 tsp curry powder
CUCUMBER SALAD
1 medium-sized telegraph cucumber,
sliced
1 green chilli, thinly sliced
large handful of fresh herbs, such as
mint and coriander
glug of avocado oil
squeeze of lemon or lime juice
salt and pepper, to taste
For the dip, mix everything together and keep in the fridge till required.
For the salad, combine all the ingredients, tossing gently to coat evenly, and keep in the fridge till required.
For the chicken, place the eggs in a medium-sized bowl, season with salt and pepper and lightly beat together. Set aside.
In another bowl mix the almond meal and all the seeds and spices, with salt and pepper to taste.
Dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture and then into the seed mixture to coat. Put enough oil to shallow-fry into a large frying pan set over a medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken in batches and fry for 5–6 minutes, turning after half the time, until cooked through and golden brown on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel to drain, or keep warm in the oven (100°C) while you continue to cook the rest of the chicken.
Once all the chicken is cooked, fry your curry leaves – your ‘chips’ – in the chicken oil. ese will only take about 10–20 seconds, so be careful to not burn them. Serve the hot chicken with the frizzled curry ‘chips’, a dollop of the cold yoghurt dip and a pile of fresh cucumber salad for brightness. Serve with extra lemon quarters if desired.