Bal's No-Butter Chicken

Delish, SUPER EASY and QUICK and lower in fat :)

• Slosh of olive oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon garam masala

• 1 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup low-fat yogurt
• 1/2 cup water

Put a large pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. When it starts to get hot, add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 4 minutes or until the onion is soft and golden. Add tomato paste, brown sugar, cumin seeds, garam masala, red chile flakes, tumeric and salt and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken and stir well to coat. Add the yogurt and water and cook, stirring until the chicken is done, about 8 minutes. Serve with rice or roti.

Janets Diet Curry

This curry has jack all in it but tastes awesome -loads and loads of flavour - and fills the gap without any lard at all. It is quite carbo though, its good for slimmers world type diets.

300 ml of vegetable stock
750gm sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size wedges
1 onion thinly sliced
225g fresh baby spinach leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 red chilli sliced thinnly
1 TBSP medium or hot curry powder
4 Ripe plum tomatoes chopped or canned tomatoes drained)
salt and pepper
1 can of chickpeas (optional)

Pop the stock into a pot adding sweet potatoes and onions. The liquid will not cover the potatoes but go with it. Bring to the boil reducing the heat, covering and simmering for 4-5 minutes.

Add the spinach, garlic, chilli, curry powder, tomatoes and chick peas. Stir well and cook over a medim heat for ten minutes until spinach has wilted and the potatoes are soft. Serve without rice or anything.

Green Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

If you're feeling like something a little lighter but delicious and filling.. or if you have a cold like Simon!!

4 shallots
2 cloves of garlic
Two cooked chicken breasts, shredded (or a ready cooked chicken from the supermarket)
Green curry paste
Milk/cream/coconut milk - about 100ml
Approx 1lt hot water
2 chicken stock cubes (added to hot water)
Fresh basil
Fresh corriander
Rice noodles (or those pre cooked in a vacuum pack - avoid dry egg noodles)

Gently saute the finely chopped shallots in a pan with oil until soft, add garlic and fry for a further minute. Add a big table spoon and a bit of green curry paste and fry for a further minute. Add chicken stock and water and stir.
Add noodles until soft and noodle-like. Add cream/milk/coconut cream, chicken, and a couple of tablespoons of each herb and cook until chicken is heated through. Taste for seasoning and balance ingredients until perfect.

Serve with a sprinkle of the fresh herbs on the top.

Dad's Green Chicken Curry

400ml coconut milk
100gm bamboo shoots
70gm green curry paste
1 tbsp fish sauce
200gm chicken thighs, sliced
½ tsp palm sugar, sliced
½ tsp green chilies, seeds removed, chopped finely
A handful of kaffir lime leaves
200ml water
1 tbsp basil, finely chopped

Simmer 1 cup coconut cream and curry paste over moderate heat, stirring until it becomes fragrant and oil starts to separate from the coconut cream.
Add chicken fillets and cook over moderate heat, until chicken changes colour.
Add remaining coconut cream and water to cover chicken.
Add lime leaves and bamboo shoots.
Bring to boil, reduce hear and simmer until chicken is tender. Stir in fish sauce, sugar, green chilli and basil.
Simmer a further 5 minutes.