Chicken, Pepper & Lemongrass Curry

STEP 1

• Before you start cooking, take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air
• Preheat the oven to 240°C/ 220°C (fan)/ gas 9 and boil a kettle
• Deseed your pepper[s] (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and cut into thin stripsPeel and finely slice your red onion[s]

STEP 2

• Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick, with a matching lid), with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a high heat
• Once hot, add the chicken with a large pinch of salt and cook for 3 min on each side until browned
• Once browned, transfer them to a tin foil-lined baking tray (reserve the pan!) and put the tray in the oven for 10 min or until cooked through (no pink meat!)

STEP 3

• Whilst the chicken is cooking, return the reserved pan to a medium-high heat
• Add the pepper strips and sliced onion with a big pinch of salt and sugar
  
• Cook for 5 min, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 min further or until softened and caramelised

STEP 4

• Meanwhile, place your creamed coconut (in its packaging!) in a mug and cover with boiled water(this softens the naturally hard cream)
  Rooster says “You can buy the cream coconut in a more liquid form”
• Peel your ginger (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) and your garlic, then finely chop (or grate) both
• Bash your lemongrass stalk[s] with a rolling pin, cut down the middle lengthways, remove the tough outer layers and set aside for later, then chop the soft inner core[s] finely

STEP 5

• Add your basmati rice, 300ml [390ml] [600ml] cold water and the outer lemongrass layers to a pot with a lid and bring to the boil over a high heat.
  Rooster says “I find it easier to cook the rice first, its less of a rush or panic when the chicken is being cooked”
• Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-12 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked
• Once cooked, remove from the heat and keep covered until serving – this is your lemongrass rice

STEP 6

• Add the chopped ginger, chopped garlic, chopped lemongrass core, curry powder and most of your black sesame seeds (save the rest for garnish!) to the onion pan and cook for 2 min
• Chop your coriander finely, including the stalks

STEP 7

• Return the cooked chicken to the pan with 200ml [300ml] [400ml] boiled water, your softened creamed coconut and your chicken stock mix, then mix well and cook, covered for a further 5 min or until the sauce has thickened
• Once thickened, shred the cooked chicken apart in the pan using two forks, then stir half of the chopped coriander (save the rest for garnish!)– this is your shredded chicken breast, pepper & lemongrass curry
• Serve the shredded chicken thigh, pepper & lemongrass curry and with the lemongrass rice to the side
• Garnish with the remaining chopped coriander and black sesame seeds
• Enjoy!