RECIPE | Quick slimmer's chicken curry

"Occasionally, the craving for a good Indian dish is overwhelming. We would all love to have the opportunity to create curry pastes and spice mixes from scratch. At times though, we just need a quick, easy, go-to curry recipe that can be created in minutes," say Kate Allinson and Kay Featherstone, authors of A Pinch of Nom (Pan Macmillan, R399). "This is one such recipe. Wonderfully tasty, but so quick to put together, it'll become a regular evening meal in no time."

Serves: 4

Nutritional information: 118 kcal per serving

Ingredients:

Low-kilojoule cooking spray

1 large onion, sliced

450g chicken breasts (skin and visible fat removed), diced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

400ml water

3 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp tomato puree

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Spray a large frying pan with low-kilojoule cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes until softened slightly
2. Add the diced chicken to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until browned.
3. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add all the other ingredients; the water should just about cover the chicken - you may need a little more or less depending on the size of your pan. Leave to simmer gently for 20 minutes.
5. Turn the heat up and boil the curry for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure it doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan - this will reduce and thicken the sauce slightly.
6. Serve the curry with your choice of accompaniment.

Cook's tip: This curry recipe works well with lean diced lamb (all visible fat removed), too.

• This recipe is courtesy of 'A Pinch of Nom' by Kate Allinson and Kay Featherstone (Pan Macmillan).