LaLa's Filipino Curry

Filipino curry, which is officially known as 'Ginataang Manok', is a favourite amongst us Filipinos and the name means chicken is stewed in coconut milk. My recipe is a bit of a variation to the more traditional recipes back home, mainly to cater to my children. This curry is full of flavour, it isn't spicy hot (as is often associated with the word 'curry'). I've made this for many people and not one has ever said they disliked it so I can safely say this is dish is a winner. I dedicate this blog to my bestie, who LOVES this dish.

Serves 4 | 30 minutes
Ingredients
500g chicken thigh fillets, diced
2 bunches of broccoli, cut into florets
3 potatoes, roughly diced
1 small onion, diced
1 can coconut milk
1 chicken stock cube
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
1¹/₂ teaspoon fish sauce
oil for frying
salt and pepper to season

1. On medium to high heat, fry up your onion and garlic and then add your chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and broken up stock cube.

2. When your chicken is browned, pour in coconut milk and fish sauce and mix altogether.

3. Add your diced potato and curry powder then mix through again. The colour of your curry will change to a beautiful golden yellow. Cover and turn the heat down to let it simmer until the potatoes are partially cooked through. Approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Add your broccoli and then mix the curry through. Re-lid the the pot and continue to simmer until the broccoli is cooked through.

5. When the vegetables are cooked to your liking, serve on a bed of jasmine rice while hot.

Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup

Whenever I order this lovely soup at our local Chinese restaurant, there's just never enough; I could seriously eat this as a meal on its own. Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup features constantly in our take-away and dine-in orders. Now it's a regular on our kitchen table and can be at yours too.

Serves 4 | 30 minutes

Ingredients

3 pieces of thigh cutlets 

1L water

2 eggs

2 cans creamed corn

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon fish sauce

salt and pepper to taste

spring onions to garnish

1. Boil your chicken cutlets until cooked and then set aside to cool. Make sure you turn off the stove at this stage.

2. Remove chicken from the stock and shred into pieces. Leave 250mL of boiled chicken stock in the pot; the remaining can be stored in the fridge as stock for another time.

3. Turn the stove back on to a medium/low heat with the remaining 250mL of chicken stock. Pour in the two cans of creamed corn and stir through, breaking the clumps of creamed corn.

4. Add shredded chicken to the pot and mix in.

5. Add light soy sauce and fish sauce to the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir through.

6. Crack the two eggs into the soup. When done, you will need to fish the yolks to break up.

7. Leave to cook through for another 5-10 minutes before garnishing with spring onion and serving.

Notes and Variations

Like myself, there are occasions when time isn't on our side and we don't always have the luxury to enjoy boiling fresh chicken to make stock. For those that are time-limited, chicken stock in step one can be achieved by making stock using using stock cubes or purchasing ready-made liquid stock and shredding cooked chicken from the supermarket. 

Egg is also an alternative to thickening the soup; you can easily substitute this with flour or cornstarch. 

Finally you can add vegetables such as asparagus to compliment this beautiful soup. Enjoy :) 

Paprika Chicken

I cooked this for lunch on the weekend and not only was it approved by the husband, but it was also approved by the children. Such a simply prepared meal and the ingredients are pantry regulars so you won't be going out of your way trying to find 'exotic' ingredients.

Serves 4 | approximately 30 minutes
Ingredients
¹/₄ cup plain flour
1 tablespoon ground sweet paprika
8 pieces chicken drumstick, large, skin off
25g butter
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 brown onions
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons caster sugar
2 cans of 400g diced Italian tomatoes
250mL water
1 dried bay leaves
235g sour cream

1. Combine the flour and paprika in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and gently toss to evenly coat in flour mixture.

2. Melt the butter in a large flameproof casserole dish over medium heat until foaming.

3. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, for 5-10 minutes or until brown all over. Use a slotted spoon to transfer chicken to a heatproof bowl.

4. Heat the oil in the casserole dish over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens.

5. Add the sugar and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until well combined. Add the chicken, tomato, water and bay leaf, then bring to the boil.

6. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through.

7. Add the sour cream and stir to combine. Cook, covered, for a further 15 minutes or until chicken is tender.  Remove from heat.

8. Divide chicken among serving plates and serve immediately.

** Original recipe from Taste.com.au Best of Winter iPhone app **