Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients (For 2 People)

1 Finger Chilli
1 Stem of Ginger (size of a 20p piece)
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Teaspoon of Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon
1 Yellow Pepper
1 Red Pepper
1 Large Red Onion
2 Chicken Breasts
1 Small Tub of Soured Cream
1 Small Tub of Guacamole
1 Small Tub of Salsa
4 Soft Tortillas Wraps
1 Mug of Long Grain Rice
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

Equipment you will need

Chopping Board, Sharp Knife, 1 Saucepan, 1 soup bowl and 1 large frying pan.


Firstly

Chop your onions and peppers into equal size strips about the width of your finger, leave these in the soup bowl for later. Slice the chilli, garlic and ginger as thin as you can, but please mind your fingers. Put a pan of water onto boil and add a good pinch of salt, when the water starts boiling then add the rice. When the rice has started boiling turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, this will cook the rice better and allow you enough time to do everything else. The rice will take about 15-20 mins.

Secondly

Slice the chicken into strips about the width of your finger. Heat your frying pan on a high heat and add the oil, the pan will be hot enough to add the chicken when the oil slides around the pan with ease. Mix the cumin and the cinnamon in a cup and add the chicken to the pan. Sprinkle the spice mix over the chicken just as the chicken starts to colour slightly.

Almost There

Stir fry this until the chicken is firm to touch. Now add the onions and the peppers with the ginger, chilli and garlic. The secret to a good stir fry is cooking at a high heat for the shortest time possible and adding the vegetables at the right time. You want the chicken cooked but you don’t want to burn it, if you were to cook at a lower temperature then the crunch of the vegetables would go.

Service

Drain the water off your cooked rice and warm your tortillas under a grill or in the oven for 5 mins. Spoon the cooked rice and the chicken onto a warm plate. Fold your tortillas and serve with your dips. Get rolling, filling and enjoy.

Burb's Basic Chicken Curry

Ingredients (For 2 People)

2 Chicken Breasts
1 Tin Chopped Tomato
2 cloves garlic
1 Stem of Ginger
2 Finger Chilli’s
2 Large Onions
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
1 Teaspoon Garam Masala
1 Teaspoon Brown Mustard Seeds
1 Star Anise
5 Cardamom Pods
Knob of butter (matchbox size)
¾ mug of basmati rice

Equipment you will need:

Chopping Board, Sharp Knife, 1 Wok or Large Frying pan, 1 Sauce pan, 2 soup bowls and a ladle.

Firstly
Slice the chicken into strips about the size of your finger and leave in one of the bowls. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of Garam Masala over the chicken and mix thoroughly, leave this in the fridge while you get a few more things ready. Take your second bowl and put each of the other dried spices into the bowl Cumin, Coriander, Mustard seeds, Star Anise and Cardamom), now give it a good mix. Chop the onions into pieces about the same size as the chicken, cut the chilli lengthways and remove the seeds, chop the chilli as fine as you can (mind those fingers you need them to make the rest of the dish!). Now wash your hands thoroughly. Take a piece of ginger the size of a 10p piece and slice finely and leave with the chilli on the side of the chopping board. Crush and chop the garlic and put with the chilli and the ginger.

Secondly

Heat the wok or frying pan up to a high temperature and add a capful of vegetable oil. You will know if the pan is hot enough because the oil will slide around the pan easily and quickly. Add the onions and fry until softened, once soften add the dry spices and keep the onion and the spices moving for a few minutes. Add the butter and the chicken from the fridge, keeping everything moving. Once the chicken has started to colour then add the chilli, ginger and garlic and stir for another two minutes. Add the tin tomatoes, mix thoroughly and add enough water to cover chicken. Once the water has just started to boil, turn the heat down to simmer for 30 – 40 mins. You will need to check back every 10 min to stir.


Almost There

The smells from the pan should be filling your nose with the aroma of India. Now put a pan of water on to boil, add a good pinch of salt. Once the water has started to boil add the rice and stir well. The water would have stopped boiling now because you put rice in the pan, so wait till it starts boiling again and turn the heat down to simmer. The rice will take 10 minutes.

Service
Just before your rice is ready check the consistency of your curry, if it is too sloppy then you can thicken it with thickening granules or tomato puree. If the curry is too thick for you then add a little water at a time and keep stirring. Now for the taste test before you serve, add season to taste. In all the times I have made this I have never had to go overboard with salt and pepper, I have had to sweeten it a few times with a tablespoon of sugar or a good squirt of tomato ketchup. It is down to personal taste and the wonderful thing about Curry is because there are many spices in the dish you can tailor it exactly to your taste buds. Introducing the spices at different times of the cooking process will give a different flavour even though you are using the same quantities of spice. So just experiment with the flavours and get it right for you the important thing is not to be afraid of the flavours because they all go together.
You have adjusted the seasoning and the rice is ready! Drain the rice of any excess water and spoon onto a warm plate, ladle your curry onto the side of the plate. Tuck in and enjoy all your hard work.