It’s a continuous struggle to be able to eat relatively healthy and still have a lot of flavour in your food. I Crossfit thrice a week post work and I don’t have the time to cook (or even eat) elaborate meals. Which is also why I haven’t been able to post regularly on the blog. Anyhoo! One of the easiest and quickest meals I can think of making is a chicken stir-fry with a few veggies thrown in. Sometimes it turns into a stew with coconut milk. Other times it ends up becoming something in between. Like this dish for example, isn’t a stew or a stir-fry. But I ate it like a stew for dinner and added some cooked soba noodles for lunch.
Easy Mutton Stew
Almost every weekend I’ve been cooking mutton for lunch. And more often than I’d like, they have been on the spicier side. I’m all for it, but when the husband’s stomach doesn’t always agree with the spices, it’s nice to take a small break from them. That’s why the mutton stew. Mutton is cooked in a fresh coconut paste with a couple of chillies (I need *some* heat for heaven’s sake), peppercorns and coconut milk. Mildly spiced and full of flavour, this one also has potatoes and carrots. Careful though, the veggies can easily breakdown when cooked with the mutton. You can pre cook them and add it to the stew after the mutton has been cooked.
Chicken stew with ginger – with leftovers
Recipe for chicken stew with ginger
I’m leaving for Bangalore in two days and it was time to empty out the perishables in the fridge. That included – marinated chicken, open pack of coconut milk, ginger and coriander leaves. I didn’t have enough ingredients for a curry, but I sure have enough for a stew. This one turned out pretty good. Fragrant with ginger and turmeric and fresh with the coriander, this took me 10 mins to whip up at the end of the day for dinner.
Ingredients:
Boneless chicken – 1 breast cut into cubes
Coconut milk – 100 ml (I had half an open pack)
Turmeric powder – Almost 1 tsp
Ginger – 2 inch piece sliced
Paprika/chilli powder, salt, ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp each to marinate the chicken in
Coriander leaves – handful chopped
Olive oil – 1 tbsp
Optional – chopped vegetables like bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli and the likes
Method:
Heat the oil in a pan and saute chicken in it for 3-4 minutes.
Add ginger and a splash of water (about half a glass) and let the chicken cook for another 3 minutes on low flame.
Add coconut milk, turmeric, any vegetables you have and salt.
Cook for another 2 minutes or till the chicken is done and tender. It shouldn’t take long since the pieces are small.
Take off heat and garnish with coriander leaves.
Note: You can add cumin seeds or any other spices you’d like while the chicken cooks.
Chicken and Veggies in Coconut Broth
Anything to do with coconut comforts me. I know that doesn’t sound all that right, but still. Coconut chutney, coconut based curries, coconut oil massage – see where I’m going with this? And since I’m eating relatively healthy of late, I figured I need to find ways to make this process easier as well as delicious.
Ingredients:
Boneless chicken cut into bite size pieces – 1 cup
Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Red chilli paste or powder – 1 tsp
[Marinate chicken with above ingredients overnight]
Coconut milk – 1 tetra pack
Chicken bouillon cube – 1/2
Thai seasoning – 1 tsp (Optional)
Capsicum, carrots, beans, mushrooms – 1 cup cut into pieces
Sesame oil or regular oil – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste, or 2 tbsp of fish sauce
Method:
Heat oil and tip the marinated chicken in.
Stir around for 2-3 mins.
Add the vegetables and herbs.
Now add the coconut milk and half a cup of water.
Crush the bouillon cube in.
Let this cook on medium flame for about 7 – 8 mins.
Add fish sauce or salt.
Have a taste and add pepper or chilli powder if you want some heat. Else, just serve hot.
Chicken Stew
I have gained a reputation for making the spiciest curries in the history of mankind. I couldn’t think of having people over again before I fixed that. Hence, Stew. Also, it’s one of my grandma’s best dishes. She made the best mutton stew. Going back to fixing my reputation – no chillies of any kind were adding in the making of this Chicken Stew.
Ingredients:
Chicken – 3 boneless breasts cut up into medium size pieces
Onions – 1 large sliced
Potatoes – 1 large, cubed
Carrots – 1 medium size, sliced
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Whole pepper – 1 tbsp
Cinnamon – 3-4 1/2 inch pieces
Cloves – 4-5
Cardamom – 4-5
Chicken stock – 1/2 cup (made from stock cubes)
Coconut milk – 1 pack (330 ml)
Salt to taste
Oil for tempering
Method:
1. In hot oil add the whole spices – cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, cloves and saute till fragrant.
2. Add sliced onions and saute till they turn soft.
3. Add chicken, potatoes and the stock along with salt. Add 1/2 of water.
4. Cook for 8 – 10 minutes and then add the carrots.
5. Cook for another 6 – 7 minutes.
6. Add coconut milk and simmer for 2 – 3 mins.
Serve with steamed rice.