Peak power
Pack a punch with these delicious dishes from the mountains of Tibet
FAMOUS CHICKEN CURRY
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2.5cm piece of ginger, washed but not peeled, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
¼ tsp turmeric
1 tsp Bassar curry masala (or hot chilli powder)
1½ tsp Madras curry powder
About 50ml water, if required
2 tbsp coconut milk powder
6-8 fresh curry leaves
1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
600g chicken breast fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp salt
Chopped coriander, to garnish
Place a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the oil.
When hot, add the garlic and ginger and brown for a couple of minutes. Add the onion and stir for a further 2 minutes. Now add the tomatoes, turmeric, curry masala and the curry powder.
Mix and cook for 10-15 minutes, turning the heat down a little and adding about 50ml of water if anything starts to catch. Add the coconut milk powder, curry leaves and coconut milk and mix well. Take your time here.You are making a curry paste and it needs to be cooked completely before you can add the chicken.
Now add the chicken and salt. Turn the heat back up to high, stir the chicken through the sauce and cook for 8-10 minutes, adding a little boiling water – but only a little – if anything sticks.The pan should be quite dry to begin with, before the juices from the chicken start to be released, so wait a while before adding any water.
After the chicken has been in the pan for 8 minutes, check to make sure it is fully cooked.To do this, take a piece out and cut it through the middle – it should be white all the way through. If the sauce looks too thick, add a little more boiling water and stir briskly for 2 minutes.
Garnish with coriander, if desired, and serve with flatbreads.