Chicken, Pumpkin & Chickpea Curry

Originally when I found this recipe it called for a tin of korma curry paste. I didn't have any, so made a simple curry paste instead. This serves 4-5 with rice and is very mild, but tasty.

Ingredients:

• Half a butternut pumpkin, skin and seeds removed, cut into 2cm chunks
• 800g chicken breast, cut into 2cm chunks
• 300g can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Curry paste:

• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon smoky paprika
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds ground
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a medium saucepan, steam the pumpkin pieces for about 10mins
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add all the dry curry paste ingredients
3. Add a bit of water to form a paste (don't add all the water yet)
4. Once the paste has formed, add the chicken pieces and cook, turning often to ensure the outside flesh turns white
5. Once the outside flesh is white, add the pumpkin and drained/rinsed chickpeas
6. Mix very well
7. Add the rest of the water and stir well
8. Simmer on low for about 30mins
9. Serve on a bed of rice, garnished with coriander

D-E-L-icious  XD

Note: ½ cup of water won't look like enough, but don't add more as the pumpkin releases liquid during cooking and it will end up too soggy.

Chorizo and Chickpea Soup

This soup is excellent for winter. It's flavoursome, spicy and goes down so smoothly. Nice with crusty rolls. This serves 4.

Ingredients

• 2 chorizo sausages, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 x 400g tin tomatoes
• 1 x 400g tin chick peas
• 2 sticks celery, chopped
• 1ltr chicken stock
• Pinch of saffron threads

Method:

1. In 2 tablespoons of boiling water, stir in the saffron threads and cook for 1 minute. Remove and set aside (in the water)
2. In a large saucepan, add the oil and chorizo and cook until just brown. Remove and set aside
3. In the same pan add the onion, garlic and celery and cook until the onion goes clear
4. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and saffron threads/water and simmer for 10mins
5. Return the chorizo to the pan, add the chick peas and warm through for a couple of mins
6. Remove 2 cups of the soup and blend with a stick blender. Return to the pan and stir through
7. Serve with crusty rolls.  D-E-L-icious  XD

Slow Cooked Chicken Korma Curry

I found this recipe online and adapted it for my slow cooker. The fragrance upon entering the house at the end of the day is amazing. And of course I didn't cook enough cos we ALL wanted to go back for seconds. This serves 5 with rice and veg on the side.

Ingredients

• 500g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed and quartered
• 3 tablespoons korma curry paste
• 1 x 400g tin chick peas
• 1 x 400g tinned tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2cm piece ginger, grated
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yoghurt
• 1/3 cup cashews (I used raw)

Method:

1. In the slow cooker place the tinned tomatoes, korma curry paste, chicken stock, garlic, ginger and chick peas and mix well
2. Place the chicken in the slow cooker (no need to brown first) and mix well
3. Cook on low for about 8hrs
4. Half an hour before serving, add the cashews and yoghurt and mix well, turn on high to warm through
5. Serve on a bed of rice with veg on the side.  D-E-L-icious  XD