Spicy Chicken Balti Curry
Ingredients
Paste
- 2 fresh red chillies, seeds removed
- 1 heaped tbsp chopped ginger
- 1 heaped tbsp chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp veg oil
- 1 tbsp cold water
Curry
- 750g chicken thigh fillets cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 tbsp veg oil
- 2 medium onions finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 whole cloves
- 10 green cardamom pods, split
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 190ml chicken stock
- 125g natural yogurt
- 2 handfuls fresh chopped coriander
Preparation
Put the paste ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Add 1 tbsp veg oil to your pan on medium high, then add the cloves, bay leaves, cardamom pods and cinnamon stick and chopped onion, sweat off until turning translucent, then add the paste and cook off for another five mins, stirring regularly.
Turn the heat up high and add the chicken. Seal off the chicken for a few mins, then add the rest of the spices and salt. Stir fry for a few mins, then stir in the tinned tomatoes and chicken stock and turn the heat down to a low simmer for 15 mins.
Stir the yogurt and simmer on low for another 15 mins. Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick and add the chopped coriander, season to taste and cover and leave to rest for five mins.
For Slimming World adaptations: swap the oil for a few squirts of oil spray when frying the onions, swap the oil in the paste for an extra tablespoon of water, and use fat-free yogurt.
