1 chicken breast
1 med onion
4 mushrooms
handful of cashew nuts (optional)
1 dsp ground turmeric
1 dsp ground coriander
1 tsp hot chilli powder - or as hot as you like
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp garlic granules
teacup chicken or veg stock
1 dbp soy sauce
1 dsp lemon or lime juice
tin of coconut milk
oil
Cut the chicken breast in half lengthwise, turn on to the cut sides and cut lengthwise again, now cut into strips about 1cm/ ¼ inch thick. Top and tail the onion, cut in half lengthwise then into thin slivers, again lengthwise. Quarter the mushrooms.
Add a splash of oil to a hot frying pan or wok then add the chicken strips and keep turning till beginning to brown at the edges - about two mins. Add another splash of oil and stir in the ground spices for 30 seconds - keep stirring. Another splash of oil and add the onions, mushrooms and cashews and stir for one minute. Pour in the stock, coconut milk, soy sauce and lemon/lime juice and bring to a simmer. Done. Five to seven minutes tops.
Serve on nests of noodles which can be heating in a pan whilst the curry is made.
The powdered chilli, ginger and garlic granules can be swapped for finely chopped fresh versions, and the meal can be bulked out further with slivers of red peppers and/or mange tout. The chicken can be replaced by prawns.
Tip for cutting the chicken: Either put it in the freezer to stiffen up or if already frozen let it partly defrost.
Re the oil. A splash is like a dsp, just enough to keep a sheen in the pan. Don't go all "Jamie" and have things slopping about in a lake of oil.
