The truth, about my curry...

Someone once told me, life is too short to grind your own spices. Some of the best cooking advice I've ever had in fact. If something is available, that makes life simpler, easier and still equally as delicious. Use it. 

I will admit curry is not my favourite dish to make. Don't get me wrong, I love a good curry as much as the next person. But making it, well, I just don't have the energy.

Searching for the perfect spices, grinding, blending, getting that paste to the perfect consistency, I would rather bake macaroons for hours and whisk eggs into fluffy goodness. Curry, not so much.

But along with winter comes the craving for hot, saucy curry dripping over a mound of steaming rice, so I buckled and got cracking. I must warn you though -  I cheat. Yes. I cheat when it comes to curry :)

This recipe isn’t mine. And it isn’t from some fancy recipe book either. It is Woolworths’ Butter Chicken Curry, just presented and paired the way I like it. The person mentioned above (life being too short to make your own curry paste), also reminded me that we do not live in 14th Century India, we have the convenience of fabulous shops. Use them. And, believe me... I do! 

Butter Chicken Bunny Chows

Serves 3-4 depending on how hungry you are :)

As a standard I double the recipe, but the recipe below is the standard single version. Doubling is very easy, just double all the ingredients, and ensure adequate cooking time for all the chicken. Don't think that you have to double the time cooking the chicken, just cook it as per normal, making sure it’s not under cooked (pink and watery on the side) and not rubbery and overcooked. 

Ingredients:

• 1x Packet Woolworths Butter Chicken Curry Paste
• 400g Skinless chicken breasts 
• 1x Tin of Tomato's
• 125ml Cream
• 50g Butter
• Fresh Coriander
• Mango / Banana
• Poppadum’s
• Chutney
• Toasted Cashew Nuts
• Olive Oil
• Cooked Basmati Rice
• Woolworths Heat and Eat rolls

The Good's. Image my own. 

Method:

You will need a heavy based pot or pan, in which to cook the curry. I am completely biased towards Le Creuset, and always go for my 30cm buffet casserole pot.

La Creuset. Makes me happy. 

Empty the paste into the pan, add a dash of olive oil and fry the paste for 1-2min until it is completely warmed through.

Paste. Tomato. Curry Goodness. Images my own.

Add the tin of tomato's and stir into the paste, until evenly mixed through. Set the stove to a medium heat and let this mixture simmer for 10min.

In the meantime, slice the chicken into bite size strips. 

Chop Chop. Images my own. 

Once the curry paste mixture has cooked for the 10min, pop the chicken strips in and ensure all the chicken is covered.

10min. Starting. Now. 

You now need to let the chicken cook in the sauce for about 10-15min under cooked, but still tender. 

The extras:

- Don't forget to cook the rice. I always use Tastic Basmati Rice. Microwave or stove, your choice.

- Slice up some fresh Mango and Banana, pop into a bowl with a squeeze of lemon juice on it.

- I can't eat home-made curry without chutney – also your choice.

- I buy the dried poppadums from PnP which are easily puffed up on the stove top –wait until the oil is very hot and then be VERY quick otherwise they burn easily.

Once the chicken is cooked through - pop in the cream, and stir in, letting it streak its white goodness throughout the curry – it doesn’t necessarily need to be mixed right in.

And then. The cream. It's worth it. Believe me. 

Once your heat and eat rolls are hot out of the over, cut a small hole in the top of the roll – discarding the piece. Place the roll on a clean warm plate and place the roll in the centre of the plate. Slowly spoon your delicious curry into the hole, letting is drip down the sides of the roll. Plop a small portion of rice onto the place, as well as a little bunch of coriander leaves, scatter your toasted cashews over the top of the curry, and serve while steaming hot.

My cheat is complete. Images my own. 

I have to say – this one is a winner at my table. It warms the cockles of your heart...try it, you’ll see.

Stay warm in this weather and drive safe

C xx