South Indian Pepper Chicken

 

Spiced with peppercorns rather than chilli, this creamy curry will be popular with the whole family. Fresh ginger and garlic give it a warming, spicy aroma. Serve with a refreshing salad to complement the rich sauce.

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 bay leaf
4 cloves
½ teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds
2 teaspoons crushed black peppercorns
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh root ginger
2 teaspoons finely grated garlic
625 g (1 ¼ lb) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
150 ml water or chicken stock
½ teaspoon turmeric
350 ml low-fat natural yogurt
salt

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan and when hot add the bay leaf, cloves, crushed cardamom seeds and peppercorns. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add the ginger, garlic and the chicken.

2. Stir-fry over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes before adding the water or stock and the turmeric. Season.

3. Bring to the boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

4. Remove from the heat, drizzle over the yogurt so that it is partially stirred in and serve.

Healthy tip:

Adding low-fat yogurt gives this dish a rich creaminess, with none of the fat that comes with cream, ground almonds or coconut - which are all popular ingredients in many Indian curries.