Chicken Curry Recipe - Flavoursome Without The Bite

I love curries as they are often naturally wheat and gluten free. For a cold summer's day, this makes a lovely homemade authentic chicken curry experience. This is a very simple chicken curry recipe. It really is one of the easiest chicken curry recipes out there, without the compromise on taste.
I say easy, because the only slight objection that you may have when preparing Sri Lankan food is accessing the ingredients. If you don't live near an area that caters well for spices, then simply head to Waitrose who stock a broad range of spices. Yes spices are pricier at Waitrose, but you will leave the store with a more manageable amount of spices (instead of the bulky bags of spices that you may end up purchasing from local Indian shops).
If you struggle to find fresh curry leaves, I was ecstatic to find these in Tesco. They do make a world of difference to the final dish.
You can also manipulate the ingredients so that this turns into a mild chicken curry recipe. For example, you can skip the cayenne pepper and choose 'mild' curry powder from your local supermarket.
When you give this recipe a go, you'll soon appreciate that this is one of the easiest and definitely the best chicken curry recipe. Who would ever complain about throwing a bunch of ingredients in to a pot with dinner served approximately 40 minutes later! And it's full of flavour and spice without the bite.
This definitely is my all time favourite curry recipe!
Ingredients
900g chicken thigh or breast pieces
Marinade
6 large garlic cloves, crushed
4 cardamom pods, crushed
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon garlic puree
½ teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
1 red onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
3 large tomatoes, diced
¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
½ thumb sized ginger, chopped
¼ teaspoon tamarind paste
¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 stalks of curry leaves
150ml coconut milk
Salt to taste
Preparing the marinade
Trim all visible fat off the chicken thighs. This is the only time consuming aspect of the recipe. It's worth it to have a good go with a pair of kitchen scissors when you realise that nearly half the chicken is fat! In a bowl, add chicken, crushed garlic, curry powder, tomato paste, garlic puree and the lemon juice. Mix well. Allow to marinade for at least 30 minutes.
Methods
1. Add oil to a large saucepan. Add sliced red onions and fry for a couple of minutes. I would add salt at this stage as onions absorb salt well.
2. Next add in the crushed garlic, cloves, mustard seeds and tomatoes. Stir for a few seconds then add fenugreek seeds. Cook until the tomatoes create a paste like texture.
3. Tip in the chicken, stir well and add 1-2 cups of water (or enough water to completely immerse the chicken). Cook on high for 5 minutes.
4. Add cumin powder, fennel seeds, ginger, tamarind paste, cayenne pepper and cinnamon powder.
5. Cover and cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
6. Uncover and add curry leaves.
7. Simmer partly covered for a further 20 minutes or until the chicken is well cooked through.
8. Stir in the coconut milk and serve with rice and a salad.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7112580

How to Make A Healthier Pizza

With careful manipulation of the ingredients a tasty and healthy Pizza can be made.
Amazingly the calorie content of a large Pizza Margarita in one of the International Pizza chains reaches a staggering 2072 calories, with a total fat content of 87.2 g and a salt level of 7.8 g. The figures for a Pizza Double Pepperoni are even higher at 2208 calories, 104 g of fat and salt at 9.12 g.
The total days calorie intake for an average male is 2400 calories, and for a female 1800 calories, with a recommended daily intake of around 6 g of salt and 65 g of oils. When consumed in excessive amounts these ingredients lead to obesity, heart disease and cancer. So with one plate of food the Recommended Daily Intake of calories, oils and salt has been met, and this excludes any drinks served with the meal such as cola or alcohol. It is not surprising that health problems related to eating and drinking are on the increase throughout the world.
So how can a healthy option be achieved?
Tip 1. Reduce the size.
Reducing the size from 12 inch to 8 inch diameter will cut the above figures by 54%, to around 1000 calories, 47 g of fat and 4.2 g of salt for the Margarita version. This is still high for a single plate of food when other meals taken in the day are considered. There are further options.
Tip 2. Eliminate some ingredients.
Cheese and meats such as Salami, Pepperoni and Meat Balls are high in saturated fats, calories and salt. The reduction in the use of Mozzarella and the partial replacement by a cheese such as Parmesan will reduce the saturated fat and salt levels but retain flavour. But care since a similar weight of Parmesan has 50 % more calories than Mozzarella. The total elimination of the cured meats, such as Salami, Pepperoni and meat balls will also significantly reduce salt, calorie and fat levels. The use of olive oil has benefits and dangers. Olive oil is known as a healthy source of fat, with very low levels of the saturated type, however the danger is the calorie content. A mere 15 ml, a tablespoon, holds 119 calories and 13.5 g of fat. If olive oil were used more liberally baking and eating then 250 ml will give 1909 calories! So use it sparingly, both when baking, eating and with any salad accompaniments.
Tip 3. Add some healthier ingredients.
A home-made tomato sauce made with a mix of 50 % ripe tomatoes and red peppers, red onions, courgette, fennel and garlic lightly sprinkled with olive oil will add freshness, vitamins and minerals to the dish, without salt. Extra fresh vegetables such as mushrooms, peppers, chillies, pickled olives, capers and artichokes will add flavour without salt, saturated fats and high levels of calories. Fish and shellfish, such as strips of white fish, mussels and prawns provides further healthier options.
Tip 4. Couple the dish with another menu item.
Serve it with a small mixed salad without a dressing. This will give extra vitamins and minerals without the addition of many calories, and provide more variety and interest to the meal.
With the reduction in size of the Pizza and some of the hazardous products the levels of saturated fats, calories and salt will be reduced, whilst still providing a satisfactory meal. More vegetables and seafood enhance the flavour of the dish and add vital vitamins and minerals, with low levels of salt, oils and calories. You will then have produced a healthy with plentiful amounts of the essentials to lead a healthy life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7155439

Diabetic-Friendly Pork Chop Recipes That Are Delicious For All

Pork, known as the other white meat, is a good choice for diabetics and is healthy for all. The recipes in this article offer a variety of way to prepare chops that are not only tasty but suitable for everyone including diabetics.
PORK CHOPS WITH BLACK BEAN SALSA SKILLET MEAL
4 lean boneless pork chops
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp salt
pinch freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
pinch red pepper flakes
1 tbsp canola oil
1 can (19-oz) black beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup chunky salsa
3/4 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
In a small bowl combine the garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and pepper flakes to make a rub. Rub this mixture all over the pork chops.
Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the chops. Cook the pork chops 5 minutes per side, lowering heat if necessary. Remove the chops to a plate. Remove fat and bits from the pan and return the chops with any juices on the plate.
Add the beans, salsa, and corn to the skillet. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, simmer 10 to 15 minutes until sauce is hot and chops are cooked through. Remove to serving platter and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro.
ROSEMARY-SOY CHOPS
These pork chops are also good grilled.
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp brown sugar*
1 tbsp dried rosemary
4 boneless pork loin chops (about 1 1/2 lbs total)
In a gallon-size resealable plastic bag combine the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and rosemary. Add the pork chops to the marinade mixture and seal bag. Turn bag over a couple of times to coat well; refrigerate 3 hours.
Drain the marinade and discard. Place the pork chops in a greased 11 x 7 x 2-inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Chops are not done until juices run clear!
*Use 1 tbsp + 1 tsp of Splenda Brown Sugar Blend if you are afraid of the brown sugar.
ORANGE-SOY PORK CHOPS
5 loin pork chops
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
flour for dredging chops
2 tbsp canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp grated ginger
3/4 cup sugar-free orange marmalade
2 tbsp soy sauce
Rinse chops and pat dry with paper towels; sprinkle with the garlic powder and pepper. Dredge the seasoned chops through the flour to coat.
In a large nonstick skillet heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the chops to the hot oil and cook until browned on both sides. Remove the chops and place on a heated platter; save drippings in skillet.
Add the onion to the skillet and sprinkle with the ginger; cook, stirring until tender. Stir in the marmalade and soy sauce. Return the pork chops to the skillet and spoon sauce over the chops to coat. Cover skillet and simmer chops in the sauce for 10 minutes or until cooked through.
Enjoy!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7176889