Phil Vickery's guilt-free Chicken Tikka Masala
Phil shows us a guilt free curry we can enjoy. He’s taken out the fattier cream and uses a 0% fat yoghurt to get a dish that cuts the calorie count down to 537.
"I'm not sure whether this dish originated in India or Glasgow, but this ever-popular offering can be seen on pretty much every takeaway menu in the land," Phil says. "I have reduced the far and salad content, adding spices and herbs to compensate."
Plus the dish contains turmeric and ginger. Turmeric can contribute to healthy digestion because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, while ginger has a long tradition of being very effective in alleviating discomfort and pain in the stomach.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For The Rice
400g basmati rice
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
6 cardamom pods, crushed
2 tablespoons cornflour
1 medium egg white
400g skinless chicken breast, fat-removed, chopped
For The Paste
1 tablespoon very finely chopped fresh ginger
5 garlic cloves, peeled
1 small red chilli, chopped
3 tablespoons tikka curry powder
2 onions, very finely chopped
2 tablespoons any oil
400g can tomatoes
Pinch of sugar (optional)
10g 0% fat natural yoghurt
For The Chapatti
125g wholemeal flour
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
60ml water
4 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, to serve
Method
1. Wash the rice in a colander until the water runs clear. Soak in a bowl of warm water (boiled and cooled) for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, coat the chicken by mixing together the cornflour and egg white, then add the chicken and mix well.
3. Place all the paste ingredients except the oil into a small food-processor and blitz to a paste. Heat the oil in a non-stick wok over a medium heat then add the paste and cook for 10 minutes until it takes on a nice colour. Add the chicken, increase the heat to high and cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Blitz the tomatoes and a pinch of sugar in a blender. Pour over the chicken, then gently simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to thicken.
5. Meanwhile, place the soaked rice into a saucepan and just cover with cold water, then add the turmeric and cardamom pods. Bring to the boil and then simmer.
6. To make the chapattis, sift together the flour and salt in a bowl. Stir in the olive oil and 60ml of water, and then knead until firm and elastic. Divide into four balls and roll out as flat as possible.
7. Heat a frying or griddle pan over a medium-high-heat. Cook the dough for about 1-2 minutes per side until puffed.
8. Remove the curry from the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the yogurt. Serve in deep bowls with a few coriander leaves sprinkled over.