A colourful and flavourful all in one main course dish served with a bowl of fluffy white rice. The ingredients can be prepared in advance and kept sealed and refrigerated for several hours, but stir-fry and complete shortly before serving.
Rice
1 cup (250 ml) Jasmine or Basmati Rice
water to cover and rinse
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
1 ½ cups (375 ml) water
Ingredients for the first saucepan
1 Tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
500 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
2 Tbsp (30 ml) cornflour
1 tsp (5 ml) chicken stock powder
¼ cup (60 ml) water
1 Tbsp (15 ml) curry paste of your choice – green(strongest) red (medium) yellow (mild)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce
2 tsp (10 ml) sugar (white, brown or palm)
2 tsp (10 ml) white vinegar (rice wine vinegar for an oriental flavour)
½ English cucumber, cut into julienne strips
½ cup (125 ml) toasted unsalted cashew nuts (lightly toasted in the oven at 180 ºC)
Ingredients for the second saucepan
1 Tbsp (15 ml) oil
1 medium onion, very coarsely chopped into chunky bits
1 medium leek, washed and sliced
2 tsp (10 ml) crushed or chopped garlic (1 – 2 cloves)
2 tsp (10 ml) grated fresh ginger
2 medium carrots, cut into julienne strips
1 stalk tender celery, thinly sliced (optional)
± 2 cups (500 ml) coarsely shredded young cabbage or Chinese cabbage (pak choi)
± 1 cup (250 ml) strips of mixed peppers (green, red and yellow)
± 200 g mushrooms, white or mixed, chopped into chunks
To finish and garnish
additional curry paste to taste
2 spring onions, diagonally snipped
- Place the rice into a saucepan, cover with water, allow to stand a few minutes, stir well and drain off the water. Add the salt and water and bring to boil. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes, reduce heat, cover partly and cook very gently for 20 minutes or until the rice is almost dry.
- Cover completely and allow to steam until ready to serve. Fluff lightly with a fork, turn into a warmed bowl and keep warm.
- Flatten the chicken breast with a mallet and cut in diagonal strips.
- Mix the salt, cornflour and stock powder and toss the chicken strips onto the mixture.
- Heat the oil to quite hot and stir-fry the meat for 5 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients for the first saucepan, stir to combine and cook uncovered over moderate heat for 5 minutes more.
- Heat the oil for the second saucepan and add the onion, leek, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry 3 minutes and add the carrot and celery. Stir-fry 3 minutes more.
- Add all the remaining ingredients for the second saucepan and stir-fry 3 minutes more. Combine the ingredients of the two saucepans, adjust seasoning, adding a little extra soy sauce if preferred and toss in the snipped spring onion.
- Turn out into a warmed serving dish and serve with the bowl of rice.
6 servings.
Recipe by Carolié de Koster.
