Chicken 007...

Got over my day-long lethargy and pity-party and decided to cook a dish that is a fave of mine and invented by my dad, innovated by me. The version I made today is healthier than past versions (the gravy was mainly oil), but still tastes great over a mound of hot, steaming rice:

Chicken 007 (Don't ask me why this got named this way, it just kinda stuck)

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless chicken breasts, cut up into small, 1cm cubes
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped into small cubes
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 dried or roasted whole red chillies (bird's eye is fine too)
• 2-3tbs oil

Spice mix:

• 1tsp salt (adjust for taste)
• 1/2tsp red chili powder
• 1/2tsp turmeric powder
• 1tsp coriander powder
• 1tsp cumin powder

Heat oil in a non-stick pot and add tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes have melted and formed a paste. Add onions and red chillies, snapping them in half to release the flavor before popping them in. Cook till onions are tender. Add the spice mix and stir. Cook until the raw flavors of the spices are gone, or after about 5 minutes. Now add the chicken and cook until the chicken has blended with the spices and turned white. Simmer and cover, cooking for another 10 minutes. Keep checking in between to make sure the bottom doesn't burn.

The chicken juices should have released to give moisture to the dish. If you prefer it more wet, add about half cup of water and simmer for an extra 5-10minutes and the chicken is fully cooked and tender. Serve hot with rice and salad.

Another tip to add is that if you find that the curry is a bit too hot for taste, add small cubes of potato when you add the chicken and cook till the potatoes are tender. You can also substitute chicken for tuna, soya cubes, chicken/beef franks, or a vegetarian option of paneer. You can also use the curry, along with leftover rice, to make a Leftover Biryani.