This is my spin on homemade curry. I've reduced the fat content by cutting back on the coconut and using butternut squash and yoghurt to make the most delicious,thick and satisfying sauce. Whizzing up the ginger, onion and garlic spice paste saves on chopping but if you prefer you could crush or grate them yourself.
Butternut squash can be tricky to cut up. It has skin thicker than a rhino and takes quite a bit of brute force to slice through. You can buy it ready chopped but I make it softer to chop by pricking the skin all over and then popping it whole in the microwave for about 7 minutes or the oven for about 30 minutes. Let it cool and then it should be easy to deal with. For other tips see the Handy Hints page.
Butternut squash can be tricky to cut up. It has skin thicker than a rhino and takes quite a bit of brute force to slice through. You can buy it ready chopped but I make it softer to chop by pricking the skin all over and then popping it whole in the microwave for about 7 minutes or the oven for about 30 minutes. Let it cool and then it should be easy to deal with. For other tips see the Handy Hints page.
Try serving this with steamed basmati rice, yoghurt with mint and cucumber and some good chutneys. Lightly spiced spinach makes a nice side dish. Pop your own poppadoms buy purchasing the uncooked ones at the supermarket and then putting them one at a time into the microwave for 30 seconds. They will puff right up and make a fantastic, cheap and grease-free alternative to the ready made variety.
400g chicken breast fillet cut into thumb sized chunks
250g peeled and cubed butternut squash
1 red onion
2 cloves garlic
2 inch piece of fresh ginger
21/2 tsp mild curry power
1 tsp turmeric
Pinch dried chilli flakes (optional)
150 ml chicken stock (from a cube is fine)
1 heaped tablespoon dessicated coconut
150ml low fat natural yoghurt
1 tablespoon sunflower oilServes 4
Peel your ginger, garlic and onion. Put in a food processor with the coconut and oil and blend until just combined.
Tip into a casserole dish and gently fry the mixture for 3-4 minutes until the onion goes translucent. Add the turmeric, chilli (if using) and curry powder and stir.
Add your chicken pieces and fry for a further 5 minutes. Then tip in your squash, stock and half of the yoghurt and bring pot to a simmer.
Cook covered on a low-medium heat for 25 minutes, until chicken is tender and the butternut squash has begin to breakdown into the sauce. Stir in the rest of the yoghurt and serve sprinkled with toasted almonds and fresh coriander.
Arthritis diet notes:
A healthy homemade curry is very close to a perfect meal for those with arthritis.This recipe is packed full of anti-inflammatory spices which can help with the pain and swelling in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Using lean cuts of white meat, and reducing the amount of coconut dramatically, also keeps it low in saturated fats.
There is more info on turmeric here in the 'Arthur Investigates' series of posts.
