Peanut butter chicken curry

Last night's dinner went down well with everyone looking for seconds; always a good sign, and no one guessed what the secret ingredient was in the curry sauce - peanut butter.  Yes, this was a peanut butter chicken curry and it was delicious.  The taste was very much like chicken satay and it was very easy to make.  I made the sauce the day before because everyone knows that curries and casseroles always taste better the day after, then added the chicken and heated it through on the night.  For dessert I made a Plum and Amaretto Semifreddo which I served with the almond shortbread.  A semifreddo (half frozen) is an Italian ice cream dessert which you may have tried at Pizza Express as they do one in their range of tiny desserts with coffee.  I shall put the recipe on the next post but for now here is the recipe for the curry, its very hard to make a curry photo look appetising!  This recipe will serve up to six people.

PEANUT BUTTER CHICKEN CURRY

 

 

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 tbsp. good curry paste
• 4 tbsp. crunchy peanut butter
• 1 tbsp. tomato puree
• 500g carton of passata
• 400g tin of coconut milk
• 400ml chicken stock
• about 400g of cooked chicken, shredded

 

Put the onion and garlic into a food processor and chop until almost mushy

In a wok or deep sauté pan heat the oil and fry the mixture until it starts to brown then add the curry paste and cook for a minute more

Stir in the peanut butter and fry until the oil starts to separate and the sauce has darkened

Stir in the tomato puree and passata and cook for a minute, stirring to prevent sticking

Add the coconut milk and stock and gently simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add the shredded chicken and simmer until heated through

I added a generous teaspoon of lazy chilli to mine becau8se I thought it lacked bite so season to your own taste, you may prefer it mild.