No-Butter Chicken

You know that feeling, when you have a hankering for Indian takeaways but afterwards you’re bursting at the seams and full of food regret? This butter-free chicken curry is light and fresh without compromising taste, and it’s healthy enough to eat whenever your Indian food craving strikes!

Makes: 4 serves
Takes: 30 minutes

Gluten-free 

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp rice bran oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp sweet paprika
½ tsp cayenne pepper
4 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
200ml coconut cream
400g can diced tomatoes
1 lemon, juiced
4 chicken breasts
Handful coriander leaves
Salt & pepper 

Raita
½ cucumber
1 cup natural yoghurt
1 tsp dried mint
½ lemon, zest & juice
Salt & pepper

Method: Heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat, and add oil. Add onion and sauté for 3–4 minutes, until soft and translucent. Turn the heat down to low and add garlic and all of the dry spices. Add tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and cook for another minute. Add coconut cream, tomatoes and lemon juice, stirring well to combine, and bring to a gentle simmer.

Dice chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the pan. Cover and cook for 18–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the raita dressing, finely dice cucumber and mix with remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with your favourite Indian condiments and steamed rice and/or naan bread.

Paleo? Serve with cauliflower ‘rice’ instead.