Chicken, Chickpea & Pumpkin Curry with Basmati Rice

A hearthy fall meal!

(Alternatively use McDonnells Curry)

Ingredients

• 1 onion
• 5 cm piece of root ginger
• 2 cm piece turmeric
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp garam masala or curry powder
• 1 tsp honey
• 4 chicken fillets diced
• 600 g pumpkin skin on, roast in the oven + 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 chicken stock cube or 1 tsp Dr. Coy Chicken bouillon + 200 ml water
• 1 tin chickpeas drained & rinsed
• 1 tsp tomato purée
• ½ tin coconut milk
• 120 g live natural yoghurt
• 120 g crispy onions
• Handful mint coriander
• Pumpkin seeds toasted
• 200 g brown basmati rice

Method

• Blitz or mince together the onion/shallot, garlic, ginger and turmeric. Add 2 tbsp cold water to form a smooth paste.
• Preheat the oven. Chop up the pumpkin into quarters. Drizzle with olive oil, season with sea salt and thyme and roast until tender. This will take anything up to 45 minutes to an hour.
• Warm 2 tbsp oil in a pan and over a low heat warm the aromatic base mix until a little golden. It is very important to use a low heat here — if it burns, it is ruined.
• Add in the tomato purée and curry spices. Cook out the spices, low and slow for about 1 minute. Add in the chicken pieces. Brown lightly.
• Add in the chickpeas, stock cube, 200 ml water and the coconut milk.
• Allow to simmer as the pumpkin roasts.
• Cook the rice until tender. Drain.
• Scoop the pumpkin into large chunks and add to the sauce. Allow to meld in. Turn off the heat and stir in most of the live natural yoghurt, saving some for a garnish.
• Using a large spoon, place the rice on the plate, ladle on the curry, add a swirl of live natural yoghurt, garnish with crispy onions, mint and coriander.
• Savour every bite.

Source: Aisling Larkin

Halloween, Dinner, Vegetarian