Monica’s Indian Express: Blueberry Chicken Curry By Gurpareet Bains

Chef Gurpareet Bains’s  Indian Superfood is a delightful collection that combines superfood and super spices to create the world famous Indian Superfood cuisine. www.indiansuperfood.com

Recipes include:

• Spicy prawns in a dry seaweed masala

• Ginger-infused yogurt with Honey and Pomegranate

• Poached chicken and mango salad with mustard seed

• Sweet potato samosa rolls with tamarind reduction

I enjoy his different tastes and combinations. In that vein, here is a curry made with blueberries. I had my doubts about this one but it was as delicious as the last recipe I made from his book: Chocolate Chicken Curry.

This recipe is an extract from Indian Superfood (Absolute Press) By Gurpareet Bains.

“Having so many blueberry anthocyanins, which aid memory power and promote fat loss, jutting around in a chicken curry, is something quite wonderful. A whopping amount of cinnamon, one of the top three of the world’s most powerful antioxidising foods, further blasts this recipe into its superfood status. Yogurt and fresh coriander help you to stay in tip-top shape by expediting the body’s digestive processes. You may assume this curry to be sweet in taste, but nothing could be further from the truth. The tart yogurt and superspices negate much of the natural blueberry sweetness and what we are left with is a light, yet traditional and tangy-tasting, chicken curry, ideal for summertime eating. This recipe was part of the ‘world’s healthiest meal’ that I created in 2009, which became an overnight hit when Chris Evans declared live on-air that it was ‘the best curry I’ve ever tasted’

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200g fresh or frozen blueberries

20g bunch of fresh coriander, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons grated (peeled) fresh root ginger

3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

500g low-fat Greek yogurt

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon chilli powder

500g skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 teaspoon garam masala

extra chopped fresh coriander, to garnish

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In a food processor, blend together the blueberries, chopped coriander, ginger, salt and yogurt to make a purée. Set aside. Place the garlic in a deep saucepan with the olive oil and cook over a low-medium heat until the garlic starts to turn a brown colour – this should take no longer than 1–2 minutes. Add the turmeric, mix well and cook for about 20 seconds. Stir in the cinnamon and chilli powder and cook for a further 20 seconds.

Add the chicken and cook until sealed all over, stirring frequently – this should take no more than 5 minutes. Now slowly pour in the yogurt mixture, mixing it into the chicken, then bring to a simmer over a low heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.

Mix through the garam masala. Garnish with the extra chopped coriander and serve with pilau.

Chicken photo by the very talented Reem Rizvi of Simply Reem.