Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Hybrid Curry

I raided my brother's garden this weekend and the results were magnificent. I came home laden with fresh poblano chiles, garlic, several enormous onions, fingerling potatoes, cucumbers, beets, basil, and a zucchini that's so large it could feed an army. Color me delighted!

Naturally, I went straight to work and put some of the bounty to good use - in this case, the poblanos, onions, garlic and basil. I made a hybrid curry that was as easy to prepare as it was delicious.

Chicken and Poblano Curry:
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 large onion, peeled and sliced
  • 4 small cloves of garlic, minced (or 2 large clove)
  • 2 large poblano peppers, seeded and sliced
  • 1 large jalapeno, seeded and diced
  • 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • pinch of Kosher salt
  • some freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 small to medium skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
  • 1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp. tandoori spice mixture
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • a handful of toasted cashew nuts
  • 1 tsp. tamarind date chutney (jarred)
  • 1 cup of light coconut milk
  • juice of 1/2 lime
  • some shredded fresh basil for garnish
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan and when it is hot but not smoking, add the onions, garlic, poblano and jalapeno peppers, a pinch of salt, some freshly ground black pepper and a dash of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste. Stir-fry for approximately 4 to 5 minutes and add the chicken. Continue stir-frying for about 10 minutes or so, until the chicken is opaque and just beginning to color. Add the curry powder, tandoori spice, cayenne pepper, a handful of cashews, stir well to coat and saute for one minute. Add the tamarind date chutney and stir to combine. Add the coconut milk, stir well and allow the mixture to just come to the boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the lime juice, stir, taste and adjust the seasoning - adding more of anything you like.

Spoon the curry over some cooked brown rice and top with a generous handful of shredded basil. Serve and enjoy!

As written, this recipe will serve four. I doubt its very authentic, but it sure is delicious! This is a curry which nods at Mexico - the poblanos - and winks at China - the cashews - while tipping its hat to Thailand with the basil. Basically, I threw in whatever was handy and surprisingly, it works. It more than works!

We like to keep things spicy around here and this had just enough heat to make you stand up and take notice - yet not overwhelm. If you're heat-averse, you can certainly cut back on the cayenne and crushed red pepper flakes. Do as you see fit. Whatever you do, don't skip the basil, it really brings the dish together and adds a bright, fresh note that's welcome indeed.

BIG thanks to my bro for all the wonderful produce. Next up I'm tackling that gigantic zucchini ... stay tuned!

Bon appetite!

12 comments:

Unknown said...

Lucky u to have all those fresh goodies. I have a garden and i have tried to grow veggies, but nothing ever came out alive lol.
The curry looks great. I love that u added cashews and date chutney. those r flavours that i love. :D

Christo Gonzales said...

score! this curry looks so good - I wish it was my lunch right now!

The Duo Dishes said...

If only we had fresh veggies on hand...or at least someone else's fresh veggies! The mix of flavors is nice. Date chutney with poblanos and coconut juice...very fusion!

nora@ffr said...

delicious and healthy!! yumm!! want t have some right now!

The Diva on a Diet said...

HH - Personally, I have a black thumb ... so I depend on the kindness of others. Luckily, my bro's is all green. :)

doggybloggy - thank you! Cruise on uptown and join me for the leftovers. ;)

Duo - very fusion! A winning combo for sure. I love, LOVE poblano peppers.

nora - it comes together so quickly you almost could have some now. LOL and thanks!

Anonymous said...

Man! Why doesn't my brother grow potatoes and chilies? No fair!

The Messy Baker said...

This recipe looks wonderful. Love the mix of tastes. Can't wait to see what you do with the zucchini!

Anonymous said...

What a healthy curry option! Looks delicious!

Anonymous said...

Yum! I like the idea of poblanos in a curry, sounds delish!

pixelgal said...

Looking forward to what you'll do with the 'zucchini that ate NewYork!' (baseball bat size) I have 2 in the fridge right now and will probably shred one of them and make another bread to freeze for later. Pickled beets are next on my agenda since the garden is dwindling with the summer. Thanks for all your creativity with the harvest.

The Diva on a Diet said...

Dana - I am lucky ... though I wish I lived closer so I could perform daily raids!

Charmian - thanks! I was flying by the seat of my pants - and am really please with the results. :) Zucchini will be up today.

Ruth - a bit of fat in the coconut milk, but overall pretty healthy. Thanks!

5 Star - the poblanos work really well here. They're so good in just about anything. I only wish more had been ready for me to take when I left.

pixelgal - I loved your zucchini bread last summer ... so save me some! The zuch. lasagna turned out really well ... and it will feed an army. No doubt much of it is freezer bound. Good luck with the pickled beets and let me know how they turn out.

Tonight, I'm roasting the fingerlings!

Malu Silverman said...

You're a genius in kitchen!