Curry Benefits – Chicken Jalfrezi Recipe

Do you need an excuse to order curry dishes? These are top benefits the ingredients such as turmeric, cumin garlic and curry have on your health:

Thanks to the beneficial ingredients chili pepper, paprika and garlic, spicy curries are particularly good for boosting your body’s natural immunity and fighting off colds.

Curcumin, a substance found in turmeric, is thought to reduce swelling and ease the pain associated with inflammation of the joints, while ginger has been proven to ease joint pain caused by arthritis.

Curcumin can also reduce the build-up of plaques on the brain that cause Alzeihmer’s by as much as 50% say the researchers.

Also, people consuming high levels of cumin were less likely to develop prostate cancer, while turmeric has been found to reduce the risk of several types of cancer including colon cancer. Turmeric has also been found to guard against heart attacks.

Phytochemicals found in cumin are thought to help prevent heart disease, while coriander and chili peppers both help to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of blood clots.

We were inspired by so many health benefits curry has, so we are going to propose you Chicken Jalfrezi.

Chicken Jalfrezi Recipe

Ingredients:

For the sauce

• ½ large onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 green chili, finely chopped
• vegetable oil, for frying
• 400g can plum tomatoes
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric

For the meat & veg

• 2-3 chicken breasts, diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• ½ large onion, sliced
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 2 red chillies, finely chopped (optional)
• 2 tsp garam masala
• handful of fresh, chopped coriander leaves
• cooked basmati rice or naan bread to serve

Preparation:

1. Take 2-3 diced chicken breasts and coat in 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander and 1 tsp turmeric then leave it to marinate in the fridge while you make the sauce.
2. To make the sauce, fry ½ roughly chopped large onion, 2 chopped garlic cloves and 1 finely chopped green chili in a large pan with a little vegetable oil, for around 5 mins, until browned.
3. Add 300ml water to the onion mixture and simmer for around 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, put a 400g can plum tomatoes in a food processor and give it a good whizz (aim for a smooth consistency).
5. Heat another large pan and gently fry 1 tbsp coriander, 1 tbsp cumin and 1 tsp turmeric in a splash of oil for about a minute. Add the tomatoes to this pan and simmer for around 10 minutes.
6. Next, whizz your onion mixture in the food processor and add it to the spiced tomato sauce. Season generously, stir, then simmer for 20 minutes. You can make large batches of this sauce and freeze it for later use.
7. Fry the marinated chicken in vegetable oil and stir continuously. After a few minutes, turn down the heat and add the remaining ½ sliced onion, 1 chopped red pepper and 2 finely chopped red chilies. Stir until the onions and pepper soften.
8. Add the sauce you prepared earlier to the cooked chicken and simmer for around 10-20 minutes, adding a splash of water if it gets too thick.
9. Just before you dish it up, stir in 2 tsp garam masala and handful of chopped coriander leaves. Serve with basmati rice or naan bread.
10. Enjoy!