Curried Turkey or Chicken

From the book The Basic Gourmet by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, Kathleen Taggart, and Georgia Vareldzis

Introduction

What to do with Thanksgiving turkey leftovers? After two days of eating roast turkey we are ready for a change. Turning the leftovers into a curry with aromatic spices, coconut, dried apricots, and peas makes for a wonderful change of flavors. If you are planning to cook Roast Chicken one night, buy an extra chicken, roast two, and use the second one to make a curry later in the week. This dish is great for company. All the cooking is done ahead and the curry is ready to serve when you are. Having little bowls of condiments on the table for passing makes this recipe even more fun. Serve with steamed rice or pilaf. This recipe can be cut in half for a smaller group.

Ingredients

Condiments

Steps

1. Heat a 6-quart straight-sided frying pan over medium-high heat and add oil. When hot add onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Add coriander, cumin, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne. Sauté, stirring often, an additional 5 minutes.
2. Sprinkle flour over onions in pan and stir to combine. Gradually stir in stock, then add coconut and apricots. Bring mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to maintain a slow simmer, cover, and cook an additional 15 minutes. Add turkey or chicken and cook, covered, 10 minutes more. Remove from heat and keep covered until ready to serve. Just before serving, bring mixture back to a simmer, stir in peas and yogurt, and heat through. Serve over cooked rice. Pass bowls of condiments at the table.

Toasted Coconut and Nuts

1. To toast coconut, heat a dry, heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat. Add coconut to pan and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned. Remove to a plate to cool. Add cashews or peanuts to the hot pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned; remove to a plate to cool. Alternatively, nuts can be browned in a microwave. Place in a single layer on a plate, microwave on high power for 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully that they don’t burn.

This content is from the book The Basic Gourmet by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, Kathleen Taggart, and Georgia Vareldzis.