Aromatic chicken, aubergine & almond curry with green beans and greek yoghurt
The combination of the ground almonds with the spices make for a wonderfully nutty aromatic curry. This recipe doesn't use any coconut milk, which I find can often mask the unique flavours of the spices, so it feels really rustic and authentic. If you're vegetarian/vegan, simply leave out the chicken and add another aubergine or courgette -you won't feel short-changed!
Servings: 4 Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
| 2 tsp ground turmeric 2 tsp garam masala 1-2 tsp dried chilli flakes 1 cinnamon stick 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp ground coriander 5 cardamom pods, crushed and shells removed 1 tsp fenugreek seeds 1 tbsp curry leaves, crushed 5 garlic cloves, grated 1 inch ginger, grated 100g ground almonds 2 tbsp coconut oil 3 chicken breasts, sliced 1 aubergine, cubed 600ml vegetable stock 1 tin chopped tomatoes 200g cherry tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato purée 250g spinach, torn salt and pepper |
To serve: brown rice green beans greek yoghurt mango chutney toasted flaked almonds coriander onion bhaji |
Method
1. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan and add all of the spices, ginger, garlic and ground almonds. Toast for 5 minutes on low-medium heat to draw out the aromas of the spices. At this point, there will be a gorgeous smell filling the kitchen!
2. Next, add the coconut oil, stir for 2 minutes until fully melted, then add the chicken strips and aubergine cubes and mix thoroughly through the almond spice mixture until completely coated.
3. Add the stock, tinned tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and tomato purée. Season well with salt and pepper.
4. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the cherry tomatoes have broken down to form a thick sauce and the chicken is cooked through.
5. Fold the spinach through a few minutes before you’re ready to serve.
6. Serve with brown rice, green beans, mango chutney, a big dollop of yoghurt and a scattering of toasted almond flakes and coriander. You can also add a cheeky homemade onion bhaji (see separate recipe).
