It may be early in the year, but the calendar is already filling up with events I worry about the amount of leave I have. Similarly, there are quite a few things I wanted to try this week to make sure I’m not falling into putting the same food in my lunchbox everyday (though karaage may be the exception, it is not advisable healthwise).
I’ve included a rough recipe for the chicken spinach curry in this week’s entry before I lose track of it in my head.
February 1
My problem is that on top of being Monday I didn’t pack more rice and chilli. Lunch is taco rice: beef chilli with yogurt (rather than sour cream), avocado and capsicum slices, tomatoes, jalapeños, grated cheddar and shredded lettuce. Not pictured: a container of salsa.
Fingers crossed for holding out until I get home..
February 2
Countdown to festival, I think I scheduled food plans all over it. Lunch is chicken karaage, capsicum namul, steamed purple sprouting broccoli with cheese, tomato, carottes râpées and onigiri (kombu no tsukudani with cheddar and hijiki with sesame and yukari) made fresh this morning.
Using onigiri molds means stuffing more filling is easier
February 3
The curry is made of spinach, chicken and win: much improved from the last time. It always helps to not burn your spices… Lunch is chicken saag, carottes râpées, tomatoes, yogurt-based coleslaw and steamed purple sprouting broccoli.
Bonus notes: a reminder mainly to myself of the steps for the curry.
Ingredients
- Grated ginger
- Chicken thighs
- Sake
- Grated garlic
- Diced onion
- Frozen spinach
- Sliced leeks
- Garam marsala
- Paprika
- Chilli powder
- Tumeric
- Cloves
- Carroway seeds
- Tomato paste
- Tomato
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- The night (or 2) before, cut up chicken thighs and marinate in grated ginger and garlic and an alcohol (sake/white wine/sherry). Defrost spinach (or can use fresh)
- Fry finely diced onion low and slow with a little oil. Set aside. Lightly fry thinly sliced leeks cut on the diagonal and set aside.
- Turn up heat and fry chicken, skin-side down so no oil is needed, until fat renders in the pan. Brown chicken pieces on medium heat, then add onion and even more grated garlic and ginger and mix.
- After the garlic has cooked for at least 2 mins, make way in the pan some carroway seeds and cloves.
- After a minute add garam marsala, paprika, cayenne chilli powder and mix, the spinach then add tumeric and mix again. Add a little hot water, dab a few dots of tomato paste and mix in for moisture. Cook for a further 5 mins at a lower heat, then when off mix in leek and sliced tomato.
