Golden Chicken Curry

(_somewhat_ modified from the original Sheila Lukins recipe)

2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise on the diagonal into 1" strips
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil, or more if needed
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
¼ cup My Own Curry Powder
2 cups Chicken Broth
4 cups cooked rice, for serving
1 cup crème fraîche *
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

Coat the chicken strips with the flour, shaking off the excess. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add half the chicken strips and sauté until just cooked through, about 5 minutes, shaking the pan so that they cook evenly. Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Repeat with the remaining chicken strips, adding more oil if necessary.

In the same pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring often, until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle with the curry powder and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute longer.

Add the chicken broth and simmer 8 to 10 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce. Stir in the crème fraîche and simmer for 5 minutes to thicken the sauce. Do not boil. Add the chicken strips and heat through.

Serve immediately over hot cooked rice, garnished with the diced carrots, tomatoes and chopped cilantro (add raisins if desired).

Serves 4 to 6.

*Modifications: We tend to add almost double the curry powder to our mix, but experiment to your own taste. Also, we replaced the crème fraîche with sour cream early on, because it seems to make little difference in the final product and is substantially cheaper. We even tried coconut milk as a replacement for the crème fraîche once, with favorable results.

*We also tried Yogurt as a substitute, and it was OK. Different, but still more than Commercially acceptable.

My Own Curry Powder (Sheila Lukins)

2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon crushed or ground fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon crushed dried dill
¼ teaspoon ground mace
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon dry mustard (Coleman's!)
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper (Kel tends to make this a big pinch, with pleasurable results- experiment)

Makes about ¼ cup.

Note: We have used commercial Curry powders instead of this handmade one, and they also give excellent results. Our favorite commercial powder is 'Sun Brand Madras Curry Powder', which is available at supermarkets. Cost Plus also markets a good curry powder, but you will want to fortify this one with additional spices if you like it hot.

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