Chapatis and Malaysian Chicken Curry

Chapatis and Malaysian Chicken Curry

Happy Thursday to you! I do hope your week has been good or as good as it can be.

I am currently enjoying the sunshine and heat we have been receiving in the North East of England. I even went to the beach! Whereupon I discovered to my dismay that I am not swimsuit ready. Sigh.

On to happier things - the good weather means al fresco dining! Must make the most of it while it lasts.

I had some deep frozen Malaysian Chicken Curry from the last time I hosted my wee Wii Party that I wanted to submit for the No Waste Food Challenge, that is, a food blogging challenge by Kate from Turquoise Lemons. 

This month it is being hosted by Elizabeth's Kitchen where we are to defrost long forgotten tubs of food that have been dwelling in the darkest depths of our freezer and share our recipes. 

When I read the challenge I knew I had plenty of tubs that I could nominate for this challenge. I have a drawer in my freezer where bread goes to die. It's filled with bits and bobs of leftover bread which we got bored of eating when a new batch is baked. Shameful First World Problems, I know. 

Photographic evidence of my frozen chicken curry in its unlabelled tub 

Anyway, going back to the point, I decided on the Chicken Curry. Now I had the curry, I wanted something to go with it. I knew I wanted some bread but did not feel like going to the extent of kneading vigorously in this heat. I have no fan or air-conditioner. Heck, I start to sweat when I change the sheets, what more kneading dough. 

As such, I decided on making chapati! It is an Indian flatbread that is simple and easy to make. It is made from wholemeal flour and uses significantly less oil than other Indian breads like naan or paratha. Did I mention that it is absolutely perfect as a vessel for mopping up delicious curry? Even better if you eat it with your hands while dining al fresco. Why not.

Al fresco dining featuring my new Ikea outdoor table

So, there we have it, fresh Chapati with defrosted Malaysian Chicken Curry.

Recipe for Malaysian Chicken Curry
[Note: When buying curry powder, do be selective of the curry powder that you buy as it will greatly affect the taste and colour of the curry.I find that Adabi is a good brand]
Prep Time 20 minutes / Cooking Time 40 minutes / Serves 8
Ingredients 
1.2 kg chicken breasts
150gm Banana Shallots(peeled)
7 cloves Garlic (peeled)
5 stalks Lemongrass
3 Chillies (deseeded)
180gm Adabi curry powder 
1 tin Coconut Milk (400ml)
2 Stalks Curry Leaves (leaves only)
4 medium sized Sweet Potatoes (peeled and cut into cubes)
750ml Water
2 Tbsp Salt
3 Tbsp Oil

Method

1. Slice chicken breasts and set aside. In a blender, blend Banana Shallots, Garlic, Lemongrass and Chillies until you get a thick chilli paste.

2. Heat the oil in a pot and fry the chilli paste on high heat until fragrant and until the oil starts to separate. 

3. Add in Chicken, Sweet Potatoes and Curry Powder. Slowly add in the water, then lower heat and cover the pot. Leave to simmer on medium heat. Do stir the curry occasionally.

4. After simmering for 30 minutes, add in the Coconut Milk. Season with salt and simmer for a further 15-20 minutes on low heat.

5. Remove from heat and dish out.

Recipe for Chapati
(largely adapted from "How to Bake" by Paul Hollywood)
Prep Time 50 minutes / Cooking Time 3 minutes per Chapati / Makes 4 small Chapatis
Ingredients
125gm Wholemeal Flour
1/2 tsp salt
10ml Olive Oil (plus more for cooking the chapatis in)
80ml Water

Method

1. Mix Wholemeal Flour, Salt, Olive Oil and Water together in a bowl. Use your hands to mix until you get a rough dough.

2. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until it becomes soft and elastic. This should take about 10 minutes. Next, put the kneaded dough into an oiled bowl, cover and set aside for 30 minutes.

3. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Use a rolling pin to roll each ball into a flat, thin disc.

4. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan and fry each chapati on each side until cooked and browned. Remove and serve.