Japanese Style Chicken Curry
Japanese-Style Chicken Curry (Wafuu Chicken Curry)
Serves 4
Free of: gluten and all top allergens
Wafuu Chicken Curry is a very popular weeknight meal in Japan. It’s mild, and richly comforting. The combo of potatoes and apples makes it a great fall recipe, and the mild slightly sweet flavor is a big hit with kids.
Traditional ingredients used in this recipe often contain soy, gluten/wheat, peanut, and sometimes bonito flakes (fish). I’ve replaced these allergens with delicious allergen-free substitutions, without the slightest sacrifice to flavor.
Feel free to double this recipe so you have leftovers throughout the week, as it only gets better on days two and three!
4 cups chicken broth (look for allergen-safe brands)
3-inch square piece Kombu seaweed
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tbsp canola oil, divided
1½ cups diced yellow onion
2 tsp finely minced or grated fresh ginger
2 tsp finely minced garlic
2 tbsp curry powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3 tbsp brown rice flour (preferably superfine)
2 tbsp crushed tomatoes
2 tsp apple cider vinegar, divided
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bay leaf
1½ Fuji apples, peeled, cored and roughly grated (1 cup)
2 tsp honey
4 cups cooked white rice
1. Combine chicken broth and Kombu in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Generously season chicken with salt and pepper. Add 2 tbsp oil to a large skillet or Dutch oven over high heat. Once oil is just starting to shimmer, add chicken and cook, stirring often, until golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat and transfer chicken to a plate.
3. Return pan to stove, reduce heat to medium-high, and add remaining 2 tbsp oil. Add onion, ginger and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until onions are starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Add curry powder and cayenne, and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Sprinkle in the brown rice flour, and cook, stirring continuously, until browned and aromatic, about 2 minutes.
4. Remove pan from heat and add ½ cup broth, stirring vigorously to combine. Add two more ½ cups broth, stirring vigorously after each addition, and incorporating any browned bits from bottom of the pan.
5. Return pan to heat, remove Kombu, and add remaining chicken broth, crushed tomatoes and 1 tsp cider vinegar. Stir well to combine, scraping up remaining browned bits from bottom of pan.
6. Add carrots, potatoes, reserved chicken, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and loosely cover. Cook at a slow simmer, stirring often, for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are just tender when pricked with a fork.
7. Add shredded apple, honey, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar and a big pinch of salt. Stir well and loosely cover. Continue to cook at a slow simmer for 15 minutes, or until the apples have melted into the curry, and the potatoes and carrots are really tender.
8. Serve over steamed rice.
Japanese-Style Chicken Curry (Wafuu Chicken Curry) © 2013 by Cybele Pascal
This recipe first appeared in the Fall 2013 issue of Allergic Living Magazine
Chicken, Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Vindaloo with Quinoa
Along with the bounty of the fall harvest comes cooler days and longer nights, and a craving for hearty dishes that bring you back to the warmth of the stove. We turn to comforting inexpensive staples like potatoes, carrots, apples, and grains, for rich autumnal inspiration. The desire for comfort is universal, and a simmering pot is the marker of fall.
Instead of armchair traveling, I suggest you travel via your kitchen, and explore global cuisine. Take a trip from Tokyo, to Goa, to Naples to Budapest, all in the course of a week. Following on my last post for Pasta e Fagioli with “Cheesy” Garlic Croutons, this week, I’m sharing an Indian dish. Come back next week for Japanese-Style Chicken Curry (Wafuu Chicken Curry).
Chicken, Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Vindaloo with Quinoa
Vindaloo hails from Goa India, and can be made with pork, prawns, lamb, chicken or beef. Goa was settled by the Portuguese, and this dish is a direct reflection of that influence with the tangy combo of vinegar and spice. Portuguese Vindaloo usually includes malt vinegar, which is derived from barley. To keep it gluten-free, I opt for apple cider vinegar.
Serves 4
Free of: gluten and all top allergens
Ingredients
2 tsp finely minced garlic
1 tsp finely minced or grated ginger
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Large pinch cinnamon
4 tbsp canola oil, divided
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups diced yellow onion
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed into 1-inch pieces
3 whole cloves
8 peppercorns
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets (about 5 heaping cups)
1 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes (1¾ cups)
1 cup chicken broth (look for allergen-safe brands)
4 cups cooked quinoa
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1. Grind the first 6 ingredients into a paste with a small food processor or a mortar and pestle. It will be dry.
2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sweet potatoes and sauté until golden, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl.
3. Add onions to the pan and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes.
4. Add chicken, cloves, and peppercorns, and cook stirring often, until chicken is no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Add sugar and salt, and sauté 3 minutes more until chicken is turning golden brown.
5. Stir in the spice paste and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, then cauliflower, tossing well to coat. Add tomatoes and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, loosely cover and simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
6. Add reserved sweet potatoes, loosely cover and cook 3 minutes more.
7. Serve over quinoa and garnish with cilantro.
Chicken, Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Vindaloo with Quinoa © 2013 by Cybele Pascal
This recipe first appeared in the Fall 2013 issue of Allergic Living Magazine
Allergy Friendly Pasta e Fagioli with “Cheesy” Garlic Croutons
PASTA E FAGIOLI WITH “CHEESY” GARLIC CROUTONS
Serves 8
Free of: gluten and all top allergens
Pasta e Fagioli is about as comforting as a bowl of soup can get. The hearty combo of vegetables, beans, and pasta make a complete meal, perfect for any chilly fall night, or wonderful for lunch the next day. The “Cheesy” Garlic Croutons are an added bonus. Store them tightly covered at room temp… but don’t expect them to last, as kids devour them like candy.
This recipe makes enough for a hearty meal for 4, plus leftovers. I’ve swapped out the traditional allergens of gluten/wheat, anchovies (fish), egg, and dairy usually present in this dish, with olive oil, gluten-free pasta, dairy and soy-free “cheese”, and allergy-friendly bread. To make this vegan, swap vegetable broth for the chicken broth, and omit the prosciutto.
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces nitrite-free prosciutto, chopped (½ cup)
2 cups diced yellow onion
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
1 tbsp finely minced garlic
1 tbsp finely minced fresh rosemary
½ tsp crushed red pepper
¼ cup dry white wine
Big pinch salt
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup gluten-free pasta shells (I like Tinkyada brown rice pasta for this)
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon lemon zest
Salt and pepper, to taste
‘Cheesy’ Garlic Croutons (recipe follows)
1. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto and cook 3 minutes, or until crispy. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
2. Add onion, celery and carrot to the pot and cook 7 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften. Stir in garlic, rosemary and crushed red pepper and cook 1 minute. Add white wine and salt, and cook while stirring to deglaze bottom of pan, until almost all wine has evaporated. Incorporate chicken broth, diced tomatoes and pasta with a gentle stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until the pasta is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes.
3. Mash half of the beans. Stir the mashed beans and whole beans into the pot and cook 5 minutes more. Add more chicken broth as necessary if the soup is too thick.
4. Remove from heat, stir in reserved prosciutto, parsley and lemon zest. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Ladle into bowls and top with croutons.
‘Cheesy’ Gluten-Free Garlic Croutons
Makes 3 cups
These crunchy croutons can be stored tightly covered at room temperature, but don’t expect them to last as kids devour them like candy.
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp finely minced garlic
½ tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp dried oregano, crushed between your fingers
5 heaping cups gluten-free* bread, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 6 slices, preferably stale)
1 cup dairy-free cheese alternative shreds (such as Daiya or Go Veggie!)
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Combine oil, garlic, salt and oregano in a small bowl, whisking well to combine.
3. Put bread cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil mixture, tossing gently with a rubber spatula to evenly coat.
4. Transfer bread cubes to a baking tray, spaced into a single layer. Sprinkle liberally with cheese alternative.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes, turning once, until lightly golden and dry. The cheese may seem goopy at first but it will become crunchy.
6. Transfer the crouton tray to a wire rack, and let cool to room temperature.
7. Break apart any croutons that have clumped together.
* For allergy-friendly bread that’s gluten-free and free of the top-8 allergens, seek Ener-G brand.
Allergy-Friendly Pasta e Fagioli with “Cheesy” Garlic Croutons © 2013 by Cybele Pascal
This recipe first appeared in the Fall 2013 issue of Allergic Living Magazine