This weekend we were experimenting with our new Cuisinart Soup Maker plus - we were challenged to try out some non-soup recipes in it so Lara, Holly and I cooked a really light and fragrant chicken curry. I will admit that I need a little bit more practice with the soup maker - it needs less liquid than if you were cooking in a pan and my curry paste was a little grainy because I used cashew nuts (not something I normally do) but I really liked the fact that I could see into the jug as it was blending and cooking and make decisions about what ingredients to add, or what temperature to use. Being able to see all of the ingredients in the pan is a little luxury!
Our summery chicken curry served four people easily and I was very happy that the Soup Maker Plus could hold all of the ingredients for a family meal.
INGREDIENTS
3 large chicken breasts, chopped into 1-inch chunks
A handful of green beans, chopped in half
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled
1 tablespoon cashew nuts
1 tablespoon ground almonds
2 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped
1 fresh chilli
The seeds from 4 green cardamom pods
2 teaspoons mild curry powder
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1 teaspoon ground corriander
1 large handful fresh basil leaves (thai or traditional basil is fine)
250ml chicken stock
200ml coconut milk
1 teaspoon black onion seeds
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
METHOD
1. Place the oil, garlic, ginger, cashew nuts, ground almonds, half of the onion, ground corriander, the chilli, basil leaves, cardamom seeds, chilli flakes and half of the coconut milk into the soup maker, or if you don't have one, use a traditional blender. Blend for 1-2 minutes on a high speed until the ingredients form a paste.
2. Add the chicken and then heat the paste gently for 5 minutes on the 'SAUTE' setting. You can also do this in a large saucepan.
3. Add in the rest of the onion, the chicken stock, the rest of the coconut milk and the green beans. Bring the liquid to the boil by using the 'HIGH' setting for 10 minutes, this will cook the chicken through. Stir occasionally using the gentle stir function.
4. Now turn the liquid down and 'SIMMER' for 30 minutes, stir regularly to make sure that the chicken doesn't stick.
5. To serve, sprinkle with black onion seeds and fresh mint for a really summery hit. We served our summer chicken curry with fresh mint, steamed rice and a salad of banana and raisins.
I enjoyed cooking the curry in the soup maker - I need a bit more practice to get it just right but I think the thing I enjoyed most was the fact that the girls can get a bit more involved in the cooking element than they would do when using the hob; it is a little safer for them than using a gas flame.
Disclosure: I was sent the Cuisinart Soup Maker Plus to review and help me create new recipes.
Our summery chicken curry served four people easily and I was very happy that the Soup Maker Plus could hold all of the ingredients for a family meal.
INGREDIENTS
3 large chicken breasts, chopped into 1-inch chunks
A handful of green beans, chopped in half
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled
1 tablespoon cashew nuts
1 tablespoon ground almonds
2 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped
1 fresh chilli
The seeds from 4 green cardamom pods
2 teaspoons mild curry powder
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1 teaspoon ground corriander
1 large handful fresh basil leaves (thai or traditional basil is fine)
250ml chicken stock
200ml coconut milk
1 teaspoon black onion seeds
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
METHOD
1. Place the oil, garlic, ginger, cashew nuts, ground almonds, half of the onion, ground corriander, the chilli, basil leaves, cardamom seeds, chilli flakes and half of the coconut milk into the soup maker, or if you don't have one, use a traditional blender. Blend for 1-2 minutes on a high speed until the ingredients form a paste.
2. Add the chicken and then heat the paste gently for 5 minutes on the 'SAUTE' setting. You can also do this in a large saucepan.
3. Add in the rest of the onion, the chicken stock, the rest of the coconut milk and the green beans. Bring the liquid to the boil by using the 'HIGH' setting for 10 minutes, this will cook the chicken through. Stir occasionally using the gentle stir function.
4. Now turn the liquid down and 'SIMMER' for 30 minutes, stir regularly to make sure that the chicken doesn't stick.
5. To serve, sprinkle with black onion seeds and fresh mint for a really summery hit. We served our summer chicken curry with fresh mint, steamed rice and a salad of banana and raisins.
I enjoyed cooking the curry in the soup maker - I need a bit more practice to get it just right but I think the thing I enjoyed most was the fact that the girls can get a bit more involved in the cooking element than they would do when using the hob; it is a little safer for them than using a gas flame.
Disclosure: I was sent the Cuisinart Soup Maker Plus to review and help me create new recipes.
