My Kids' Meals: Chicken and Vegetable Curry

Now that my eldest is getting so old (nearly 8!), he likes to think that his taste for food is also maturing. He knows that curries exist, he wants to indulge and be grown up, but given that he has grown up (until our move to Hong Kong) on a mostly Western diet, he has not yet been exposed to particularly spicy foods!

So being the supportive mum I am, I try to encourage him to try new things, whilst at the same time trying to reassure my not-so-adventurous daughters who have to eat the same meals! (I never cook more than one meal for the children.) So recently I was in the kitchen telling my son that, yes, I was making a spicy curry that was ‘a little bit hot’ for him, but also pacifying the girls by telling them ‘no, not so hot, you will be fine’.

The situations that mums get themselves into try to keep the peace… or maybe it’s just me?!

What I ended up serving was a very tasty chicken and vegetable coconut milk-based curry served with steamed rice. As ever, there is lots of room to move on this one. As for the meat, you could of course use beef, lamb or pork, or make a vegetarian version using firm tofu or just vegetables. And the veggie selection is completely up to you – snow peas, carrots, pumpkin, eggplant, zucchini, potato, baby corn or peas all work well here – honestly, make it up as you go along!

This really is a quick, simple and tasty meal that is worth a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 pack chicken breasts cut into thin, small cubes
• 1 medium carrot, sliced
• Half a brown onion, sliced
• Handful of snow peas
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 250ml coconut milk
• Oil for frying

Method

• Heat a pan, adding the oil and onion, and cook until lightly browned.
• Add the chicken and cook until golden.
• Add the garlic and spices and cook for another couple of minutes until fragrant. It is really beneficial to the overall flavour of the curry to cook the spices!
• Add the coconut milk and carrot, and continue cooking until the carrot is tender (about 3-4 minutes). When nearly ready, add the snow peas as these won’t need long (and they add a nice crunch to the meal if not over cooked.)
• Serve with steamed rice.

Clean Plate Rating

Voila! The perfect quick and simple curry that will excite adventurous tastebuds whilst reassuring the less brave. Achieving the seemingly impossible every day? Just a day in the life of a mama!

Originally from Australia, Chanelle Jackson was a Critical Care Nurse living in Sydney when she met and married her husband. Now a mum to three kids aged 4, 5 and 7, she has a home full of willing guinea pigs ready to try out her family-friendly recipes! Although cooking was always a hobby, Chanelle noticed spaghetti Bolognese was creeping onto the menu a little too regularly for comfort. Taking a stand against dull dinners, Chanelle was motivated to create and road-test exciting, yummy meals that the whole family can enjoy, and she’s sharing them with Sassy Mama! Check out her ‘clean plate rating’ for guaranteed dinner winners, and she’d love to hear your recipe feedback and suggestions!