Chicken Curry - Even in a Hurry

My parents have a restaurant near them in Lake Oswego entitled, "Curry in a Hurry." I always thought it was such a creative name, and of course it drew my attention because I absolutely love curry -- any kind, anywhere. But traditional curries take time, and it's well worth that time to have an authentic curry dish.

I live in a neighborhood that is culturally diverse. There are many benefits, besides the obvious. One of those benefits is the delightful array of dishes we have at block parties. Many of my neighbors know of my penchant for curry and I've been blessed, yes blessed, to taste curries from neighbors who originated anywhere from Southeast Asia to India and beyond.

This dish is not one of their recipes, but one I've put together for speed and as a melding of some of the flavors I've tasted in theirs. It is one of those dishes you can truly prepare ... in a hurry.

Chicken Curry

Recipe:

2-3 cups cooked chicken (This is where the "speed" comes in. I will usually use about a half of a larger - like Costco - rotisserie chicken or 1/2 of one of my roasted chickens I've made earlier in the week). Shred the chicken into bite size pieces and set aside.

1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
2 - 3 teaspoons meat curry (or curry spice)
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 medium apple, diced

Directions:

Melt butter in large saucepan. Saute onion and garlic until translucent. Add ginger, curry, chili powder, turmeric, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add flour and cook about another minute. It will resemble a paste or roue. Slowly add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add diced apple and simmer until apple is tender. About 15 minutes. Add cooked chicken and heat through.

Serve over rice (white or brown).

Serve with condiments. Here are some that we like and I serve them in individual ramekins:
peanuts, shredded coconut, raisins, minced boiled eggs or/and parsley.

Medicinal Herbs ... of the 19th Century: Yarrow

Yarrow

Medicinal Uses: antispasmodics, astringents, colds, fevers, digestive

Yarrow is one of the those plants, well, they almost resemble weeds because you will see them growing all alongside of roadways and freeways across America. But this seemingly noxious plant, is actually an herb with a proven medicinal history.

Yarrow grow between 10 and 20 inches, is a perennial herb that yields a single stem that is fibrous and rough. It flowers in several bunches of flat-topped panicles of numerous small white flower heads which bloom from May to August. They really are beautiful and truly, I've always thought they were a wildflower probably due to their propensity to flourish in open fields.

For medicinal use, gather stems and leaves in the flowering stage and hang them upside down to dry thoroughly. They will be ready to use medicinally after they are dried. All parts of the flower are used for this purpose. Store in dry air-tight containers that will not receive much light.

To make a Tea: steep 1 heaping tsp. in 1 cup boiling water for 30 minutes. Drink 3 or 4 cups per day an hour before meals and upon retiring. It must be warm to be effective. Source: http://medicinalherbinfo.org/herbs/Yarrow.html.

Purdue University says this of Yarrow. "As a medicinal plant, yarrow and other Achillea species have been used as antispasmodics, astringents, carminatives, diaphoretics, stimulants, and tonics. In addition, yarrow has been used against colds, cramps, fevers, kidney disorders, toothaches, skin irritations, and hemorrhages, and to regulate menses, stimulate the flow of bile, and purify the blood. Chinese herbal medicine specifies the use of Achillea sibirica Ledeb. for stomach ulcers, amenorrhea, abdominal cramps, abscesses, snakebites, traumatic falls and bleeding, and to reduce inflammation. The alkaloids present in yarrow have decreased the required blood clotting time in rabbits. Extracts of yarrow exhibit antibiotic activity and may also act as antineoplastic drugs. Contact with yarrow has been reported to cause dermatitis.

Read more of Good Living's Medicinal Herb series.

Medicinal Herbs ... of the 19th Century: Spearmint

Spearmint

Medicinal Uses: primarily digestive, used to treat nausea and other stomach ailments

As most of our medicinal herbs have, spearmint also has long history. It was first discovered in St. Pierre, France and was first brought to North America in the early 1500's by settlers who used this herb to prevent and treat scurvy due to its high vitamin C content.

Spearmint is a perennial herb first found in Central Europe. The herb is easily grown in moist soil and prefers a sunny location to develop its essential oils but can tolerate partial shade.

Spearmint is most useful when made into a tea by infusing its leaves or as an essential oil. If using to make tea,  the leaves should be cut prior to herb's flowering to achieve maximum benefit.

Part of the mint family, Spearmint has been used to treat stomach and bowel ailments for its tendency to increase bile production to aid digestion. Spearmint, however, has also been used as a remedy for nausea and vomiting, especially during pregnancy. There is some evidence that it can also be used to treat the imbalance of testosterone that sometimes occurs in women resulting in masculine hair growth.

WebMD also says Spearmint can be used to treat, "sore throat, colds, headaches, toothaches, cramps, cancer and inflammation of respiratory tract. Some people use it as a stimulant, germ-killer, local pain-killer, and anti-spasm medication. Spearmint is applied directly to the skin for swelling inside the mouth, arthritis, local muscle and nerve pain, and skin conditions including pruritus and urticaria."