INGREDIENTS FOR 4 SERVINGS:
• 400g (14oz) cooked Venere rice
• 4 skinless chicken breasts, pounded vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 tsp garlic, grated
• 300g (11oz) baby onions or shallots, peeled and cut in half
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut at an angle
• 480ml (16fl oz) chicken stock
• 450ml (15fl oz) Dashi Stock
• 200g (7oz) baby potatoes, cut in half
• 60g (2oz) plain flour
• 60g (2oz) butter
• 2 tbsp madras curry powder
• 1⁄2 tbsp ginger, grated
• 70g (2oz) sugar snap peas, trimmed
• 1 tbsp sea salt flakes
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the batter:
• 80g (3oz) plain flour
PROCEDURE:
- Season the chicken breasts evenly with salt and pepper, place on a rack in the fridge and leave to brine for 6 hours, or overnight for the best results.
- Drizzle a little oil into a heavy-based saucepan and add the garlic and onions. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add the carrot and sauté for about 3 minutes until slightly softened. Add the chicken stock and dashi stock and bring to a simmer. Add the potatoes and cook for 15–20 minutes until tender. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, make a roux: toast the flour over a medium– high heat until browned, stirring constantly. Add the butter and stir in the curry powder and ginger. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and tip the butter curry mixture into the pan with the carrot, potatoes and stock mixing the curry well into the broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 4–5 minutes until thickened. Add the sugar snap peas and cook for about 2 minutes until just softened. Add the salt.
- Half fill a heavy-based saucepan with oil and heat to 180°C (350°F).
- Place the flour, egg and breadcrumbs in three separate shallow bowls. Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour, then dip in the egg, and finally coat them in panko breadcrumbs. Place a chicken breast carefully into the oil, and fry, flipping once during cooking. The chicken is done when the thickest part registers 75°C (167°F) on a meat thermometer. Place on a wire rack and keep warm in a low oven, and repeat until all of the chicken is cooked.Place the chicken breasts on a chopping board and cut into 2cm (3⁄4in) thick strips. Serve on Venere rice and spoon the curry on top.