Thursday, October 14, 2010

Leftovers Part 2

I can't believe it's already October. I had been planning to put in the second installation of my leftovers story before September ended but geez, time really does fly. So I was into using up my leftovers with these lovely roti wraps I found at the Dee Why Market. I just love how delicate they are and how they toast up so beautifully. After having Chicken Curry for dinner two nights in a row - I serve it again, now hidden in a wrap!


I heat the roti in a griddle pan over medium heat to soften. I had made some chutney with apricots and an onion a few weeks back so I used it up here too. Feel free to make your own chutney or use pre-made ones if you have it in the fridge. Spread it along the bottom third of the roti then lay down 2 romaine leaves and some cilantro sprigs if you have some. Spoon the leftover curry over the romaine leaves and wrap tightly. Turn the wrap one or two times to brown it all around as much as possible. 
If you like mayo, some Japanese mayonnaise would work here. You can also add cottage or cream cheese. In place of chutney, I think slices of mango would be great too.

In case you want to make chutney, here's how I did mine. It may not be too authentic but it was still delicious: 


Apricot Chutney
1/2 T oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, minced
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1T raisins
1 cup water
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
2 sprigs thyme
pinch of salt and pepper


Saute the onion and garlic in a small sauce pan, season with salt and pepper. Add the apricots, raisins and water to the pan. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the dried fruits soften. At this time, add the vinegar and leaves from the thyme sprigs. Let the acid cook off for another 5-10 minutes. Taste and season as needed with salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to cool slightly and then puree in a food processor or blender.

Here is a rough recipe for the curry component. It is a really simple one from back home which goes as follows:


Chicken Curry
500 grams of chicken thigh or breast fillets - sliced and seasoned with salt and pepper
1T oil (I use rice bran oil)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1-2 medium carrots, cubed
2-3 red potatoes, cubed
1/2 t grated ginger
2 T curry powder
1 T ground coriander
1/2 T cumin
1 C coconut milk
1 T fish sauce
salt and pepper to taste
water to thin out sauce if necessary

Heat the oil in a casserole and sweat the onions and garlic over medium-high heat. Add the grated ginger and saute for about 2 more minutes the throw in the carrots and the potatoes. Next in are the chicken pieces. Sear them so they brown on all sides. Sprinkle the curry powder, coriander and cumin over the chicken pieces. Allow the spices to get toasty and then pour in the coconut milk. Bring the pot to a boil and lower heat to simmer for about 20-30 minutes until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Season with fish sauce, pepper and salt if necessary. If the sauce is too thick, use some water to get the consistency to your liking. Serve hot over brown rice, with chopped hard-boiled egg, crispy bacon and chutney on the side. And for lunch the next day, use leftovers to make these wonderful wraps!

2 comments:

  1. I love making good use of my leftovers! Doesn't it feel great when you feel you've effectively avoided waste? :) Have a number of "leftovers" posts in my blog too...part of my fight against food waste :)

    Apricot chutney sounds fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, I love that feeling! We're so alike in that way, I really do not waste anything.

    ReplyDelete