I have just spent a great day in Dunnes head office in their Simply Better Innovation Centre shooting videos. This kitchen was built specially for the development of the Simply Better range.
We shoot all the online videos here with Daragh Lawless and the team. We try and get five done in a day with Sally Dunne, food stylist, and Olivia from MacNean House, staying one step ahead with the food all the time.
The videos focus on straightforward recipes that people can make at home with good ingredients.
This kitchen was built specially about a year ago and is beautifully kitted out. We use it for meetings and taste testing and everything that is involved in product development.
Creamy Chicken Korma is one of the most popular recipes that I make at home. The twins love a simple korma recipe and I made it recently just before back to school. I vary it, sometimes using shredded chicken, prawns, or monkfish.
I make the sauce in a big pot and freeze it. Then you can warm it up at your convenience and add what you want to it. It is a mild, creamy korma – perfect for children
I also love the Thai curries. Simply Better have recently launched a new range made by Saba restaurant. They are fantastic restaurateurs, originally from Castlebar, and now in Dublin. Their coconut milk is excellent and their curry pastes are superb.
I always keep some in the cupboard. The red one is definitely the spiciest. It is my favourite but my wife Amelda finds it a little too spicy. It is lovely with beef, chicken, or prawns. I like to serve it with Thai fragrant rice.
I always enjoy Thai cuisine. They are great people with great food. Anytime I have been there on holiday I always do a cookery course and love it. My dream is to do a TV show in Thailand. Maybe some day!
Happy Cooking,
Neven
Ingredients: Serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp finely grated root ginger
1 green chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp chilli powder
400g (14oz) can of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp tomato puree
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2.5cm (1in) cubes
1 can of coconut milk
2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooked basmati rice, warmed naan bread and mango chutney, to serve
Method
1 Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions and garlic for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Stir in the ginger and green chilli and cook for one minute, stirring.
2 Add the garam masala to the pan with the turmeric, chilli powder and a pinch of salt and cook for another minute, stirring. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree and 150ml of water, stir well to combine, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the sauce is well reduced that it is almost sticking to the bottom of the pan and the oil has separated out on the surface, stirring occasionally.
3 Add the chicken to the pan with a few tablespoons of water to the reduced down sauce. Slowly bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and completely tender. Stir in the coconut milk and simmer gently for another few minutes until well combined. Season to taste.
4 To serve, arrange the basmati rice and chicken korma on warmed plates and scatter over the coriander. Serve with naan bread and mango chutney.
Ingredients: Serves 4
50g (2oz) bunch fresh coriander
4 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp Thai yellow curry paste
2 x 400g (14oz) cans coconut milk
225ml (8fl oz) chicken stock
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla) or light soy sauce
Grated rind and juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp caster sugar
Good handful fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Thai fragrant rice and lime wedges, to serve
Method
1 Remove a good handful of the coriander leaves from the stalks - about a quarter and reserve. Roughly chop the remainder, including the stalks and place in a mini blender with the shallots and garlic. Whizz to a paste.
2 Heat a wok or heavy-based frying pan. Add the oil and stir-fry the yellow curry paste for 1 minute over a high heat. Add 150ml (1/4 pint) of the coconut milk and the coriander paste, stirring well to combine.
3 Cook for 3 minutes, then add the chicken stock and boil for 8-10 minutes or until the natural oils start to appear on the surface, stirring occasionally. Season generously.
4 Stir in the chicken, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the chicken is completely tender and the sauce has reduced considerably with the oils clearly visible on the surface.
5 Add the remaining coconut milk, the fish sauce or soy, lime rind and juice and sugar, bring to a simmer and cook for another five minutes. Add the reserved coriander leaves and the basil and cook for another minute or two. Serve hot with bowls of rice.
Thai Green Prawn Curry
Replace the yellow curry paste with green. Add 175g halved baby new potatoes instead of the chicken and simmer for 15 minutes until tender. Add 450g of raw peeled tiger or Dublin Bay prawns (langoustines) and 100g of halved cherry tomatoes and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the prawns are just cooked through and tender. Stir in torn basil leaves before serving.
Thai Red Duck Curry
Replace the yellow curry paste with red. Add 675g of Peking duck breasts that have had their skin removed and been cut into bite-sized pieces. Cook as described for the chicken and finish with the coriander leaves before serving.