Rustenburg’s ice cold/freezing winter nights are probably shouting for something hot/something new/something easy or something delicious to treat your family and to help them forget the awfulness of the winter of 2018. Then again there are those who don’t mind the winter at all but who love a surprise on the dining table.
Here’s how Pieter Germishuys and his team at the Hedgehog’s Nest Culinary Institute prepare pan-grilled chicken breast fillets in an Indian Korma sauce with coriander, toasted almonds and Naan bread. (Korma is a deliciously creamy sauce with desiccated coconut and a delicately balanced blend of authentic spices with ginger, slight chili and coriander).
Ingredients:
4 chicken breast fillets (around 600g)
2 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
40g butter
2 onions, coarsely grated or very finely chopped
4 tsp ginger and garlic paste (you can also use fresh ginger and chopped garlic)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp mild chili powder
2 tbsp mango chutney or 2 tsp caster sugar
300ml hot chicken stock
100ml double cream or yoghurt
Salt and black pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp toasted flaked almonds, to garnish (optional)
Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish (optional)
Naan bread
Method:
Pound each chicken breast between 2 layers of clingwrap so that it is thin and season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Place the oil, butter and onions in a pan and cook over a medium heat, stirring often for 10 min, or until the onions are soft and lightly browned. Stir in the ginger and garlic paste and ground spices and cook, stirring continuously, for a further 1 min.
Add the mango chutney and stock to the spiced onions and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 min or until the liquid has reduced by roughly half, stirring regularly. (For an extra smooth sauce, blitz the mixture with a blender.) Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the chicken breast fillets over a medium-high heat for 5-6 min, turning occasionally. Transfer the chicken to a plate using a slotted spoon or spatula.
Spoon the Sauce on the Centre of the plate. Stack the chicken breast fillets on top of each other. Garnish the curry with toasted flaked almonds and scatter with fresh coriander, if you like. Serve with Naan Bread or Basmati Rice.
