Thai Duck Curry

Make this the night before then finish off half an hour before you want to eat it. Also works well with chicken.
Serves 4
1 free range duck
400ml can coconut milk
400ml chicken stock
2 tbsp Thai red or green curry paste
1 lemongrass stalk, bruised
4 lime leaves, shredded
2 aubergines, cubed
150g sugar snap peas, halved lengthways
100g beansprouts
½ tsp soft brown sugar
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
chopped red chilli and good handful fresh basil leaves
jasmine rice, to serve

Place the duck in a large pan and add the coconut milk, stock, curry paste, lemongrass and lime leaves. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for an hour then leave to cool and chill overnight.

Scoop the solidified fat off the surface of the broth and discard. Lift out the duck, strip the meat off the bones and tear or cut into big chunks. Discard the skin and bones.

Gently reheat the broth adding the duck and aubergine and cook for about 15 - 20 minutes until the aubergine is tender. Add the sugarsnaps, beansprouts, sugar and lime for the last minute. Serve with plain rice and beer.

Thai Red Curry Dinner

I thought this would be quite difficult. In fact, it was very simple. The original recipe recommended courgettes, but I swapped them for the Spanish aubergines I picked up on Chapel Market. I gave the beans about three minutes and maybe five would have been better, but better crunchy than mushy, I always say...

INGREDIENTS: Serves 4
1 tbsp oil
4 small, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1-2 tbsp red curry paste, depending on how hot you like it
400ml coconut milk
100g green beans, trimmed
2 small Spanish aubergines, halved lengthways and roughly chopped
1 lime, juiced
2 spring onions, sliced
a handful of coriander leaves


METHOD:
Heat a large saucepan and add the oil.
Cook the chicken for 3 minutes until it starts to brown.
Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until fragrant.
Then add the coconut milk, stir and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
Cook for 10 minutes, then add the beans and courgette.
Cook for 3 minutes until the vegetables are just tender.
Remove from heat and season to taste with lime juice and stir through the spring onions and coriander.
Serve with boiled rice.

Anyway, enjoy!

Curry up!

We’ve got Bert and Heidi coming over for dinner tonight. They've gone to the expense of a babysitter so I can't palm them off with my usual mid-week pasta bake or shepherds pie. I have instead, decided on a classic Indian menu. Nothing clever but everyone loves a good curry and I get to just about hang on to my new healthy eating regime if I don't eat any pudding.

Poppodoms (only 40 kcals each!) with lime pickle
Tandoori chicken with mint raita
Lamb rogan josh and spinach dhal with brown basmati rice.

I’ve bought the pudding. But of course I won't be eating any.

Tandoori chicken
150g carton low fat natural yogurt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli powder
pinch of ground turmeric
4 small chicken breasts, cubed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Raita
bunch of fresh mint
1 small garlic clove
5cm piece cucumber, peeled and cubed
150g carton low fat natural yogurt
squeeze of fresh lemon juice

In a large shallow dish stir together the yogurt, garlic, cumin, chilli, turmeric and some salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces and marinade for 30 – 60 minutes.

Grill as indvidual pieces or on small bamboo skewers for 8 – 12 minutes until cooked through and nicely browned.

Whiz together the mint, garlic and cucumber in mini chopper or food processor and until finely blended. Add the yogurt and whiz again then season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve chilled.