Thursday, September 25, 2014

Chinese Chicken Curry Stir Fry

Yum

2011 photo
Today's Throwback Thursday so in 2011 I wrote:  Many years ago I went to a Chinese restaurant and saw a dish called Chinese Chicken Curry.  I was immediately intrigued because I never thought of curry being a part of Chinese cuisine.  The restaurant brought out this lovely mildly curried chicken dish with pieces of potato, carrots and peas.  I was fascinated because the curry flavor was familiar yet very different to the curry flavor used in Sri Lankan cooking. So yesterday I was browsing in the international aisle of my grocery store when I saw "oriental curry powder".  I had to buy it and try to make that Chinese curried chicken.  I threw it together with the spices and flavors I thought suited a Chinese chicken curry and it turned out as fantastic as the dish I had at the restaurant all those years ago.  Next time you're in the international food aisle take a look and see if you can spot some new spices to play around with. I'm looking forward to the next dish I can try with this curry powder.




Chinese Chicken Curry

by Curry and Comfort
Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 20-25
Ingredients
  • 1lb of boneless/skinless chicken cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 can (15oz) coconut milk
  • 1 Tbs garlic grated or minced
  • 1 Tbs of ginger grated or minced
  • 1/4 cup of soy sauce
  • 2Tbs Chinese curry powder
  • 1/4 tsp of Chinese five spice powder
  • 1 tsp of red chili flakes (or to taste)
  • 1 medium onion chopped (large)
  • 2 medium potatoes cubed into bite size pieces
  • 1 bunch of broccoli florets (or frozen peas)
  • 1 cup of carrots sliced
  • 1 cup of chicken broth or water/bullion equivalent
Instructions
1. Heat a large pan with 2Tbs of canola oil. When oil is very hot add your chicken and fry for a minute. Then add your ginger/garlic paste and stir fry for another 1-2 minutes.
2. Next add your diced potatoes and stir fry for another minute.
3. Then add your curry powder, chili flakes, five spice powder and stir fry for another minute.
4. Next add your soy sauce, chicken broth and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer and allow the potatoes to be almost fully cooked. Note: Taste for seasoning. If you require more salt flavor, add a little more soy sauce because potatoes tend to absorb a lot of salt.
5. Finally add your broccoli (or peas) and carrots. Cook for another few minutes until the broccoli and carrots are tender crisp and the potatoes are fully cooked. Note: Your "gravy" should thicken up on it's own due to the starch in the potato. If you need to thicken up your gravy, just take 1Tbs of cornstarch to 2Tbs of water and mix well then add it to the gravy and allow to boil until the gravy thickens up.
6. Serve with hot rice. Enjoy.
Special Notes
If you cannot find a Chinese curry powder try to add 1 1/2 Tbs of McCormick brand curry powder or Madras curry powder and 1/2 a tsp of Chinese five spice.
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Step by Step Directions:
Heat a large pan with 2Tbs of canola oil. When oil is very hot add your chicken and fry for a minute.  Then add your ginger/garlic paste and stir fry for another 1-2 minutes.


Next add your diced potatoes and the onion and stir fry for another minute. Then add your curry powder, chili flakes, five spice powder and fry for another minute.



Next add your soy sauce, chicken broth and coconut milk.  Bring to a simmer and allow the potatoes to be almost fully cooked.

Note:  Taste for seasoning. If you require more salt flavor, add a little more soy sauce.



Finally add your broccoli (or peas) and carrots. Cook for another few minutes until the broccoli and carrots are tender crisp.


Note: Your "gravy" should thicken up on it's own, mine did.  If you need to thicken up your gravy, just take 1Tbs of cornstarch to 2Tbs of water and mix well then add it to the gravy and allow to boil until the gravy thickens up.



Note: If you cannot find a Chinese curry powder try to add 1 1/2 Tbs of McCormick brand curry powder or Madras curry powder and 1/2 a tsp of Chinese five spice.

Edited note:  I wanted to further elaborate about the spices in the Chinese curry powder.  The bottle's ingredients states the following:   turmeric, coriander, cumin fenugreek, black pepper, garlic, star anise, cloves, allspice and other spices.  So the curry powder is similar to the ingredients of Indian curry powder.   Chinese Five Spice is a combination of  fennel, cloves, cinnamon, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns.  I think combining regular curry powder and Chinese Five spice powder together would give you a very close taste to the Chinese curry powder. 




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