CHICKEN CURRY

I've been wanting to cook chicken curry but the curry powder or curry paste here in UAE is soooo strong. I like our curry powder in the Philippines, just right for my palate. So, when my mother-in-law came here last December to visit us, I asked her to bring me some curry powder. I cooked chicken curry a few weeks ago but it wasn't good. The sauce was so thick because I used coconut cream instead of coconut milk. This time around, it was a success and I never thought it was so easy to prepare... really. *wink*

CHICKEN CURRY

Ingredients:
2 chicken breast, cut into serving portions
1 large potato, cubed
2 medium carrots, sliced into rings
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 thumb-sized ginger, sliced
1 small tomato, chopped
2 tbsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano (optional)
1 tsp. ginger powder (optional)
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 tbsp. butter

Procedure:
In a bowl, mix the chicken breast with 1 tbsp. curry powder, ginger powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Leave for a few minutes.

In a wok, heat some cooking oil and pan fry the potatoes until brown. Drain on paper towel and set aside.

In the same wok, heat olive oil and butter. Saute garlic, onion, ginger and tomato until aromatic. Add the chicken and cook until the chicken are a little bit browned and the oil from the chicken come out, about 5-10 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tbsp. curry powder and mix until fully combined, about 2-3 minutes..

Add the coconut milk, fried potato and carrots. Do not stir and cover just yet to let the oil from the coconut milk to come out, just for a couple of minutes or so. Then cover and continue to simmer until the vegetables are a bit tender. Add the bell pepper and season with salt and pepper according to your preference.

Pour the chicken broth with cornstarch and mix slowly until a little thickenned in consistency. Taste and season again if desired.

Serve over steamed rice.