Balti Coconut Chicken Recipes

PERFECT CHICKEN BALTI

Steps:

• Peel the garlic and deseed the chillies, then roughly chop and place into a pestle and mortar.
• Bash to a rough paste with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Peel, finely chop and add the ginger, then bash to break it down. Peel and finely chop the onions.
• Drizzle a lug of oil into a large non-stick pan over a medium heat, add the cinnamon, bay and cardamom, stir for 1 minute, then add the onions. Reduce the heat slightly and fry for 15 minutes, or until softened but not coloured.
• Chop the chicken into 2.5cm chunks and add to the pan. Turn the heat up to medium, fry for a few minutes, then stir in the chilli paste. Cook for 2 minutes, add the remaining spices and mix well.
• Halve and roughly chop the tomatoes, then stir them into the pan.
• Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for around 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened and broken down.
• Add the yoghurt and cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened and reduced.
• Pick, finely chop and stir in most of the coriander leaves, season to taste, then serve with a homemade naan, brown rice, a dollop of yoghurt and the remaining coriander leaves scattered on top.

BALTI COCONUT CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a wok, dry roast the almond and 1 tbsp desiccated coconut till it takes on a little colour. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
• To the coconut/almond mix add the coconut milk, fromage frais, ground coriander, chilli powder, garlic, ginger and salt, mix well to blend all together.
• Heat the oil in a wok and fry the chicken with the cardamoms and bay leaf, till the chicken has the juices sealed inches Do not brown the chicken.
• Add the coconut mixture to the pan with red chilli and fresh coriander. Cook for 12 mins covered. Remove the lid and cook uncovered for 3 minutes
• Stir in the desiccated coconut and serve.
• Plai rice and curried prawns go well with this, or a vegetable dish.