Chicken and Coconut Curry with Sweet Potato

Curry- such a tricky food with kids.  We love making our own curry here, and the kids have had some different curry experiences.  This curry is simple, has a creamy texture and there is very little heat in it, making it very kid friendly.

I've used my slow cooker (mainly because I wanted it ready to cook away before preschool pickup) but you could just continue it on the stove.

Miss 4 and I made our own curry paste and we have enough left over that we have frozen for two more curries.  You could buy a korma paste if you really can't make it, but this way it is preservative and additive free- something I find tricky with storebought pastes.

Chicken and Coconut Curry with Sweet Potato

Ingredients
Curry paste

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 tbsp grated ginger

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garam masala

½ teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon tomato puree

1 red chilli
3 tablespoons desiccated coconut

2 tablespoons ground almonds

2 teaspoons cumin seeds  
1 teaspoon coriander seeds

Curry

2 chicken breasts, chopped into 2cm cubes
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2 cm cubes (par cooked)
3 tsps curry paste
1/3 cup red split lentils
1/2 bunch coriander, chopped
1 can coconut milk
1 onion, sliced
3/4 cup frozen peas
oil

Method
Curry paste:
in a dry fry pan over medium heat add the cumin seeds and coriander seeds until they start to crackle.
Grind in a spice grinder until powdered.
Add these and all the other curry paste ingredients to a food processor and blitz until you form a paste.
Makes enough for three curries.  Freezable.
Curry:
Add 2 tbsps oil to your fry pan and heat over medium heat.
Add the onion and the curry paste.  Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the chicken and stir through the paste, cooking until brown on all sides.
Add the coconut milk, lentils and sweet potato.  Bring to the boil.
Pour into your slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours (tea towel under the lid so it doesn't end up watery). Alternatively continue to cook on the stove until the chicken is cooked through and the sweet potato is soft.
Remove the lid and add the peas and coriander, cook for 20 minutes with the lid off to thicken the sauce.
Makes enough for 2 dinners for 2 kids and 2 adults when served with rice and naan.