COOKING with CANNABIS
Warm Up Your Holiday Table with
Naan Flat Bread and Curry Chicken by Chef Dana Cunningham
It ’ s December , and with the cold air whistling around , all I can think about is comfort food . Usually , my go-to is stew or soup , but when I get bored with soup , I turn to a delicious curry . Many folks hear “ curry ” and think it will be super spicy . While I enjoy spicy food , I still like my food to have a balance of flavors . I will teach you how to make a delicious curry tailored to your spice level while also balancing the flavors in this dish so that we have a well-rounded curry and not just a hot sauce on rice .
I will also teach you how to make a quick Naan ( fried flatbread ) to pair with it . It is one of my all-time favorite breads , and if I am making a curry , this bread must be made to go along with it . I usually make my Naan gluten-free , but you can use regular flour instead of gluten-free flour , and it will turn out just as great . Don ’ t be discouraged if you haven ’ t made anything like this . Like always , I will break it down and make it super simple . The recipe for Naan that I use is found on the Gluten Free on a Shoestring website at
https :// glutenfreeonashoestring . com / naan-bread /.
My take on butter chicken differs from the traditional recipe that calls for cream and lots of butter , which can make it extremely rich and heavy . I skip the heavy cream and use fresh tomato sauce . This version is a lot less fattening and doesn ’ t leave me feeling so heavy , yet I still feel comforted . The infusion will be an oil base because you can easily add it to the sauce while it simmers to incorporate it fully . You can use either an infused oil or butter . I suggest using a flavorless oil such as MCT so that it doesn ’ t alter the flavor of the dish too much . Let ’ s get down to it .
Ingredients 1 lb . of boneless , skinless chicken breast 1 lb . of vine-ripened tomatoes ½ lb . of cherry tomatoes of any color 1 small , sweet onion 2 tablespoons of tomato paste 1 / 2 cup of chicken stock , unsalted ½ cup of white wine ( any ) 2 sweet potatoes 1 yellow or orange bell pepper 1 bunch of green onion 2 cups of prepared white rice 1 tablespoon of cumin 2 tablespoons of fresh minced garlic ½ tablespoon of ginger 1 tablespoon of chili pepper ¼ tablespoon of paprika Salt and pepper to taste 1 lemon , juiced 1 tablespoon of infused butter or MCT oil
The Method 1 . Chop the chicken breast into medium-sized pieces . 2 . Peel the sweet potatoes and chop them into medium-sized chunks . 3 . Small dice the onion . 4 . Julienne the pepper into medium-sized slices . 5 . Dice the vine-ripened tomatoes into large chunks . 6 . In a large skillet or cast-iron pan , place 3 tablespoons of butter and let it melt . 7 . Dump the chicken into the skillet and let it begin to cook , stirring occasionally . 8 . When the chicken is almost finished , add the onion , sweet potato , and peppers and let it get cooking .
9 . When the chicken is cooked and the veggies are almost soft , add in the spices and garlic . This is when you can customize your spice level . If you want it to be hotter , add more chili pepper . One tablespoon is the amount I chose to use , and it comes out medium heat . 10 . Let the spices bloom from the heat and toast for 30 seconds . 11 . Add the chicken stock , lemon juice , and white wine to deglaze the pan . 12 . Bring the liquid to a simmer for about 5 minutes to release the alcohol in the wine and reduce .
13 . When the liquid is reduced by half , dump in the tomatoes with all their juices , whole cherry tomatoes , and tomato paste . Mix it all up and let it come to a simmer . 14 . Now is a good time to start your rice . 15 . Your curry will start to reduce and thicken as it simmers . Now is a good time to add your infused butter or oil . Keep it stirred so that it doesn ’ t scorch . Remove it from the heat when it has become the consistency that you desire . I like mine a little bit saucy so that I can let the sauce soak into the rice .
16 . Serve in a bowl over steamed white rice , throw some chopped green onion on top , and pair with some delicious Naan .
Bon Appétit !
Dana Cunningham is a Kansas City Native trained in French and American cuisine . She owns Infused KC , Kansas City ’ s CBD infusion think tank and focuses her culinary efforts on the farm-to-table concept at her four-acre homestead . She provides cooking classes in Kearney , MO . Follow her on Facebook , @ infusedkcmo or YouTube @ sunsetgrovekearney . Get your CBD at ,
www . infusedkc . com .