Chicken or tofu in a red sweet pepper sauce
Adapted from the cookbook, Madhur Jaffrey’s Illustrated Indian Cookery, this dish is bursting with Indian spices, and will transform chicken or tofu in a flash. It is delicious served with brown basmati rice and spicy green beans or sautéed spinach.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken (breasts and/or thighs) OR 2 pounds of bone-in chicken OR 2 pounds of firm tofu
- 1 small onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1-inch cube of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 1 ounce almonds, blanched and slivered
- 3 to 4 medium red bell peppers, trimmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon canola or olive oil
- 1/2 to 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Tip: Double the ingredients for the sauce and freeze half of it for another meal.
Directions
- Cut the chicken breasts, thighs or tofu into slices or cubes — your preference. Or, keep bone-in chicken whole.
- Combine the onion, ginger, garlic, almonds, peppers, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and salt in the container of a food processor or blender. Blend until the mixture forms a paste, adding a few tablespoons of water, if needed.
- Add oil to a large, wide, and preferably non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When hot, pour in all the paste. Stir and fry for 10 to 12 minutes or until you see the oil forming tiny bubbles around it.
- Put in the chicken or tofu, with 1/2 cup of water, lemon juice, and black pepper. Stir to mix and bring to a boil.
- Cover, turn heat to low and simmer gently for 10 minutes (tofu) to 25 minutes (chicken) or until the tofu or chicken is tender. Stir a few times while simmering. Add more water if a thinner consistency is desired.
Nutrition information (per serving)
Nutrition information per 3-ounce chicken breast:
- Calories: 190
- Fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrate: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Sodium: 370 mg
Nutrition information per 3-ounce chicken thigh:
- Calories: 200
- Fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrate: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Sodium: 390 mg
Nutrition information per 4-ounce tofu:
- Calories: 220
- Fat: 14 g
- Carbohydrate: 11 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 19 g
- Sodium: 310 mg