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Saturday, January 21, 2012

Weekend Cooking: The Chicken Curry Event


I didn't do a Weekend Cooking post last week, so this dish we made almost 2 weeks ago now. We chose a chicken curry dish from the Provisions and Politics cookbook. Similar to a couple weeks ago when we made a French dish, we have never made a curry dish before either, so it was interesting. I have a few adjustments I would make to the recipe for a second go around!

I have to admit, I have NO IDEA how to relate this recipe to Sarah Polk or anything historical. I have stretched my mind every way to try to come up with some connection, but to no avail, we just wanted to make the chicken curry.

The Chicken Curry Event
6 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unbleached flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 Chicken breasts, boned and split
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Onion, minced
2 Green bell peppers, chopped
3 Garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp curry powder
1 (15 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can Cream of Coconut
Tabasco to taste
Worcestershire sauce to taste
1 cup raisins or currants

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2) Mix the flour with salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Coat the chicken with the flour mixture. Brown the chicken lightly on both sides in 3 Tbsp of the butter. Remove chicken to a baking dish, reserving the pan drippings.
3) Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp butter with the pan drippings. Saute the onion, peppers and garlic until onion is tender. Stir in the curry powder. Cook for 1 minute stirring frequently. Stir in the undrained tomatoes and cream of coconut.
4) Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring frequently. Season with Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces. Stir in currants or raisins. Spoon the curry mixture over the chicken. Bake covered for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
5) Serve over hot cooked rice, cashews, banana chips, chopped apples, mango chutney, toasted coconut, chopped scallions, or other condiment of choice.


OK, first of all I want to share an important lesson learned from this cooking experience about Cream of Coconut. I had never worked with this ingredient before so I had no idea what to do with it and the can offered no directions. I bought the Goya brand, you can find it in the International Foods section of your grocery store. When you open the can it looks like there is a 1 inch thick layer of wax that looks un-edible and then a liquid portion making up most of the can. Apparently that waxy substance is the cream part. After spending time online, I think you are supposed to use this part as well - I just threw it out because I thought it was wax to protect the liquid inside. Those of you that have used this are probably laughing at me, but neither of us had any idea what to do with this ingredient.

Also, I would probably use only 1 bell pepper next time, unless you love green peppers.  We used 1 1/2 and it felt like all I was eating was peppers, and I don't like them THAT much.  We also substituted dried cranberries instead of raisins, as we already had them at home and they worked great.  Overall, it was a great dish.  We used the 3 Tbsp of curry it indicated and it was just a little spicy, but if you like more spice feel free to add more.


Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads and and food or cooking related post can participate.





Copyright © 2012 by The Maiden’s Court

11 comments:

  1. I have never made a curry dish, but this sounds like something my family would like. I like the cranberry substitution idea.
    I laughed about your Cream of Coconut, because I have never used that either and would probably have done the same thing.

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  2. Diane - It was very good and made quite a bit. I died laughing myself after we made the dish and then looked up the product online. Maybe I should have done that first?

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  3. You cracked me up with your trying to link the curry to Sarah Polk.

    Ooops on the cream of coconut! Too funny. But the recipe must be good because you liked it anyway. I love curry dishes and this sounds like a keeper.

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  4. Looks delicious, great flavors in your dish! LOL, I'd have probably done the same thing with the coconut. And the first time I bought Coco Lopez by mistake. We had nice Pina Colada's instead of the chicken dish.

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  5. Coconut milk I am good with, but any other I have to look up first to see what it is, (sweet or not). Cooking sure can be an adventure.

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  6. Not too sure I would like curry. Someday I may try it.

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  7. This sounds like something I would like a lot but that I would have a very difficult time getting the hubby and Boy to eat.

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  8. I've made a few curry dishes. The best one had a cup of yogurt in it and then a tomato salad on top that you ate with flatbread. Yum.

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  9. Beth F - I was worried that it wasn't going to come out ok because we didn't use the creamy part - but it still had the sweetness, just wasn't as creamy.

    Carol - OMG! That is a good one! At least you still had fun with it!

    Heather - it sure can!

    Peggy - I wasn't sure if I would like it either - it has sweetness and a little spiciness. I think with less peppers I would have loved it more!

    Holly - I could certainly see it as being something a kid might not like - too many different flavors.

    Heidenkind - Oooh that sounds good!

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  10. The first time we made curry from scratch it nearly blew our head off! I do still like the idea of making it, but with a little more subtlety in the flavours! lol

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  11. Marg - Yeah, you can easily put way too much spice in there!

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Thanks for leaving your comments! I love reading them and try to reply to all!