Chicken Curry & Meatball Pasta

They've stood the test of time

^{KB’s Chicken Curry}

^{How it came about…}

In the 1960s, I was fortunate enough to spend a couple of years living in Mauritius, where food is a major part of daily life. I was continually surprised by the creativity and flavour of many everyday dishes.

Mauritius, a country of diverse cultures, produces dishes that often combine in wonderfully inventive ways. One example I enjoyed regularly was chilli sweet-and-sour pork, the local take on a popular Chinese staple.

However, with Indian culture being a major influence, curry in all its forms was common and widely enjoyed. One of my favourites was chicken curry - a dish I learnt to cook and have enjoyed for many years since. I have added and changed ingredients over the years as I became more confident in what I could or couldn’t add. By now, you should be salivating, so here is my recipe. Feel free to adjust it to suit your own experience and taste.

Ingredients

• 3 chicken thigh fillets, fat trimmed
• 1 medium potato, peeled and cut into roughly 2 cm pieces, rinsed and set aside in a bowl of water
• 1 brown onion, peeled and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped, or 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 large tomato, chopped into small pieces
• 1 small can light coconut milk
• 1 bok choi or pak choi (same thing)
• 2 chicken stock cubes mixed with up to 1 teaspoon curry powder in a small amount of hot water, or liquid chicken stock if preferred
• Spices: paprika, cumin, garam masala, coriander, turmeric, and fennel seeds
• Herbs: basil and marjoram

Method

1. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Fry them in a medium-hot pan for a few minutes to render the fat and release any excess moisture, then set aside.
2. Microwave the potato on high for 3 minutes.
3. Chop the onion and garlic. Fry them with the fennel seeds until the onion is soft and translucent.
4. Add the remaining spices and stir well.
5. Add the potatoes to the pan and stir until they are coated in the spice and onion mixture.
6. If the pan becomes too dry, add a little of the chicken stock and curry powder mixture.
7. Drain and add the chicken, then stir to combine.
8. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Stir in the chopped tomato.
10. Add the coconut milk and stir thoroughly. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 30 minutes.
11. Remove the lid and allow the sauce to thicken.
12. Chop and add the bok choy for the final 5 minutes, or until just cooked through.

Variations

If you like, add broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, or any other vegetable that takes your fancy. Give the vegetables a few minutes to cook through before serving.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with white rice, naan bread, or both.
• Add chutney of your choice, such as tomato, mango, or onion.

A good curry is created, not simply copied from a recipe. So use this recipe a couple of times and then make it your own!

KB’s Meatball Pasta

How it came about ...

The concept was probably obtained from something I read or as seen on a cooking show. It worked well and was an ideal contribution as a going away present (the recipe not the actual dish) to my niece heading off to university where cooking was something you did in between lectures and visits to the local pub. It had to be simple to cook, with inexpensive ingredients available in the local supermarket and be sufficient to last for at least a couple of meals.

With no fancy prep required, simple ingredients and the chorizo sausage meat bringing plenty of spicy flavour to the sauce, this recipe is a winner.

Ingredients

• 1 pack of six supermarket chorizo sausages
• 1 brown onion
• 1 tin of whole (not diced) tomatoes
• 1 carrot, chopped
• ½ zucchini, chopped (optional)

Method

1. Squeeze the meat filling from the sausage skins and shape into bite-sized meatballs.
2. Slice the onion and fry until soft and translucent.
3. Add the meatballs and cook until browned all over.
4. Add the chopped carrot.
5. Add the tinned tomatoes and gently break them up as the sauce cooks.
6. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for about 30 minutes.
7. Add the chopped zucchini about 10 minutes before serving.

Serving and Leftovers

Serve with pasta. I prefer linguine, or pasta of your choice.

This recipe serves two, with enough left over for lunch the next day. Don’t save excess cooked pasta; it’s never quite the same when reheated. Use a wrap instead.

If you used and enjoyed these recipes, share with a friend.