A cheap 'n cheerful treat I often make with vegetables heading in the wrong direction from freshness and a bit of chicken. Equally delicious eaten on the day or frozen and eaten later. I prefer mine with naan rather than rice.
Shopping list
For the paste
6 garlic cloves, crushed or very finely chopped
4 x 5cm pieces of fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
6 to 8 red chillies, roughly chopped, to heat preference
3 tbsp ground cumin
3 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp garam masala
3 tbsp tomato purée
Approx. 1 tbsp of peanut oil (vegetable oil if you don't have peanut oil)
For the balti
1 tsp peanut oil
1 onion, diced
2 or 3 chicken breasts cut into large chunks
½ butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3cm cubes
½ broccoli, broken into natural florets
2 red peppers, cut into large chunks
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 vegetable stock cube/jelly
Approx. 150g to 200g small mushrooms, whole
6 tbsp coconut milk
1 lime, finely grated zest and juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander
Naans
1 large or 2 medium naan breads. The plain, garlic and/or coriander types work best with this dish. Peshwari (or other more complex) naans don't work as well.
Cooking Method
For the paste:
Blend all the paste ingredients together by hand or in a blender with about 100ml water. You should use a third to half of the paste for this dish. You can freeze the rest for use another time
For the balti
Heat the peanut (or vegetable) oil in a wok, saucepan or karahi pan on a medium heat. Add the diced onion and fry for 3 to 4 minutes; until just softening
Add a couple of spoons of the paste to the onions and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes
Add the chicken pieces, stirring vigorously and ensuring that it is all sealed and coated on the outer sides; add a little more peanut oil if needed
Add the red peppers and stir these into the mixture ensuring that they do not stick
Once the red peppers begin to soften, add the tomatoes and break them up into the ingredients using a "soft" implement such as a wooden spoon of spatula
Once all the ingredients begin to bubble, add the butternut squash, broccoli and mushrooms, stirring gently
Place the vegetable stock cube/jelly in the empty tomato tin. Boil the kettle and add water to the can, dissolving the stock until the tin is full. Carefully add it to the balti
Simmer over a medium heat, stirring occasionally or until all ingredients are tender adding the coconut milk during the last 5 to 10 mins of cooking time
Finally, sprinkle with the juice and zest of the lime, chopped coriander and freshly cracked black pepper
The naan breads
Approx. 5 to 10 mins before serving, place the naan breads in a preheated oven (heated to 200°C). Don't use a pastry brush. Rather, using clean fingers dipped in a smidgen of peanut oil, run them down the top side of the breads so that only the smallest amount of oil coats the surface in unbroken and uneven "stripes"
Remove the naan breads as soon as the top shows signs of browning; it should be entirely hot, but not entirely crisped
Serve and enjoy
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