Recipe: Chicken Katsu curry

As some (actually, most) of my posts may suggest, I am a bit of a foodie. It is one of the very few things that make me a true Lithuanian and is thanks to my parents' appreciation of good food from all around the world. Aside from shop-bought curries and pizzas, I don't really buy much ready-made food, except in dire circumstances and try to - as much as possible - to eat healthily (this can of course be a bit of a hit and miss, especially when it comes to the weekend).

I mentioned that I made a Chicken Katsu Curry a couple of weeks ago. The recipe is  predominantly from Cook Yourself Thin which I amended slightly, taking inspiration from my brand new Hemsley & Hemsley cookbook. So here is my slightly altered recipe for a Chicken Katsu Curry, Roo-style. Hope you guys like it...

(Unfortunately, I was too hungry and tired to take any pictures, so I had to rely on some food-inspired photos online)

Ingredients (serves 2)
For the "breaded" chicken pieces 

• 2 pieces of chicken breast 
• 90g ground almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 egg, beaten lightly 
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the curry sauce

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
• 3 whole cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped 
• 1 tablespoon flour (I like to use wholemeal but plain is fine too) 
• 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
• 300ml chicken stock
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala

Now for the cooking part...

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C.
2. Mix the ground almonds, cumin, oregano and thyme on a plate; add seasoning if required. Dip the chicken breast in egg and then coat fully in the seasoned almonds. Place the chicken on a tray and into the oven (for about 45mins, depending on the size of the chicken).
3. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a small plan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 2mins. Then, add the chopped carrot and cook under a low heat for 10mins, with the lid on, stirring occasionally. You need to sweat the vegetables until softened and starting to caramelise (the vegetables may stick to the pan but even if a little burnt, it's fine; just add a couple of drops of water to the pan). 
4. Stir in the flour and curry powder, cooking the mixture for a minute. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, bit by bit until combined. Stir well to get rid of any lumps and then add the honey and soy sauce, bringing the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20mins. 
5. Add the garam masala and season to taste. 
6. Pour the mixture through a sieve to create a thick sauce. You're supposed rid of the vegetables that remain in the sieve but I used it as a salsa for the chicken, using it as a side and it was really declicious. 
7. Once the chicken is cooked (this should take about 45mins, depending on the size of it), place the chicken on a plate and pour the sauce over. I served the chicken with brown rice and a salad of rocket, cherry tomatoes, orange and peppers.

Bon appetit!

Although there are quite a few steps to the recipe, it is actually very simple to make and is a really tasty and healthy meal. 

 

Muah,

Roo xx