Spicy Coconut Chicken with Roasted Aubergine

 

Spicy Coconut Chicken with Basmati Rice or Roasted Aubergine Slices

After recently watching “The 100 Foot Journey”, I felt inspired to cook an Indian meal. The meal was intended to be a Spicy Coconut Chicken. Only. 

I made a zesty blend of spices using a half teaspoon each of ground ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and a teaspoon each of medium curry powder, course coriander, chicken Masala, and salt. Then vigorously rubbed 4 chicken thighs with the spicy concoction and set it aside to draw the flavours.

I placed a large dollop of butter in the pan and waited for it to melt. Once melted, I added half a large chopped onion, 3 large green chillis, and a generous teaspoon of chopped garlic.

My mother never cooked with butter when I was a child. It was considered unhealthy and I guess it was also expensive. But, as Julie, from the film “Julie and Julia” says in her French accent, “one can never have too much butter”. I tend to agree. There is something very wholesome about onions and garlic sautéing in melted butter. The aroma alone is enough to send you into an orgasmic frenzy.

Once the onions, garlic and chilli had infused their aromas, and the onions were almost transparent, I added the chicken pieces to the pan and sautéed them on each side for about 20 minutes on high. I then turned the heat down, and added a can of Coconut Cream. This was left to simmer for about 20 minutes.

Let me just tell you, that Coconut Cream (like butter) makes most things taste absolutely heavenly. And if you’re Banting, this recipe would also be quite fabulous.

Once the chicken was cooked through, I added a dash of cornflour to the coconut milk to thicken it slightly. I served this on a bed of Basmati Rice, with coriander, rocket and tomato salad on the side. I then escaped into my world of ecstasy as the infusion of flavours hit my palate. Seriously! After I finished my chicken and salad, I had a small bowl of just the spicy coconut milk, which turned out to be one the best soups I have ever had.

Another variation would be to add some roasted aubergine slices or chunks to this dish to make it go further. But the next day, I added a few spoons of this heavenly creation to layers of Roasted Aubergine slices instead, as in my First Shade of Aubergine, and was yet again, transported into orbit.