This week Anna @annasfamilykitchen shares her best ‘fakeaways’ – from amazing curries to her alternative to Peking duck.  Full of delicious and wholesome ingredients which you can’t say about a lot of takeaways. Tasty, cheaper and much better for you – What more could you ask for?

---

Cheats Chicken Tikka Masala

A great recipe to wean children onto curries, this is my speedy family friendly cheats version or everyone’s takeaway favourite. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s far healthier too using Greek Yogurt instead of cream. I’ve simplified this curry into five simple steps. And the whole dish uses one pot (plus your blender) to ease the washing up load.
⠀
INGREDIENTS for 4-6

For the paste:-⠀⠀
1 onion⠀
3 red chillis deseeded⠀
10cm ginger peeled⠀
3 garlic cloves⠀
Bunch coriander, stalks included⠀
2 jarred red peppers⠀
1 tbsp tomato puree⠀
1 tbsp smoked paprika⠀
1 tbsp turmeric⠀
2 tbsp ground cumin⠀
2 tbsp ground coriander⠀
1 tbsp Garam Masala⠀
1 tbsp honey⠀
1 tbsp ground nut oil
1 tsp Maldon salt
⠀
For the curry:-⠀⠀
2 onions, sliced⠀
3 garlic cloves crushed⠀
1kg diced chicken breast⠀
600ml passata or chopped tomatoes⠀
200ml Greek Yogurt⠀
juice of 1/2 a lemon⠀
Coriander leaves and flaked almond to finish⠀
⠀
Colour the onions for 5 minutes in a lug of oil.⠀

Blitz together all the paste ingredients, adding some water to loosen if necessary.⠀⠀

Coat the chicken pieces in the paste and simply add to the pan with the onions. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 25 minutes.⠀

Stir in the Greek Yogurt and lemon juice and serve. ⠀

---

Chicken Katsu Curry

If your children are missing their visits to one of their favourite restaurants (you know who I’m referring to!!) here’s a homemade version of the classic Chicken Katsu Curry.

INGREDIENTS for 4:-
4 chicken breasts
6 tbsp Panko Crumbs (or breadcrumbs)
2 tbsp seasoned flour
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
For the Katsu Sauce:
2 onions chopped
2 carrots chopped
3 garlic cloves crushed
10cm ginger finely chopped or grated
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp curry powder (I used mild)
2 tbsp honey
400ml coconut milk
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
To serve:
Rice
Cucumber, carrot – thinly sliced using a vegetable peeler
Broccoli
Edamame beans
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Soften the onion, carrot, ginger and garlic together with a lug of oil in a pan for 10 minutes. Add the turmeric and curry powder. Stir then add the honey and coconut milk. Season, simmer for 10 minutes and blitz smooth. Keep warm.

Put the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of cling film or baking parchment. Bash out with a rolling pin so the breasts are just under 2cm thick.

Sprinkle the Panko onto a plate. Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Put the flour on a plate.

Coat each chicken breast in the flour, then the egg, then the Panko.

Heat an ovenproof pan and add 4 tbsp ground nut oil. Add the chicken breasts. Let them develop a crust for 3-4 minutes, turn them over and put in an oven set to 180 degrees for 12 minutes.

Serve the chicken on top of cooked rice and your choice of veggies. Serve the Katsu Curry sauce on top or on the side.

---

Asian Pulled Pork

This has to be one of my all time favourite sharing platters. If your family love duck pancakes, this is a great alternative – cheaper and I think tastier too! I’ve used a whole shoulder but the recipe would also work with shoulder steaks. I swapped the Asian pancakes for tortilla wraps. You could also serve it with rice. So little effort involved, just time in the oven needed. The pork is slow cooked in an Asian broth for which all the ingredients are thrown in. The pork is seared, submerged in the stock and then left in a low oven (140) for 6 hours. The result is beautiful tender meat that falls apart with the touch of a fork.

I’ve included switch and swap ideas to accommodate what you may not have in your cupboards.

INGREDIENTS for 6:

Asian Stock:
1 litre good chicken stock⠀
6 star anise (or replace with 1 tsp Chinese Five Spice to the stock as well as on the meat)
1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp Sichuan Pepper corns (can be swapped for a mix of coriander seeds and black peppercorns)
10cm piece ginger chopped⠀
3 garlic cloves chopped⠀
1 chilli chopped⠀
3tbsp brown sugar
75ml soy sauce⠀
75ml mirin (or substitute with a mix 1 tsp sugar with 75ml normal glugging white wine)
Juice of 1/2 a small orange, 1 Clementine or 3 tbsp orange juice
⠀
1.5-2kg pork shoulder
1 tsp Five Spice⠀
Salt and pepper

To serve:
Asian pancakes or tortilla wraps
Remaining cooking stock
Hoisin sauce (optional)
1 cucumber cut into batons⠀
1 little gem lettuce shredded⠀
Bunch spring onions shredded

Combine the stock ingredients and bring to a simmer.

Season the pork and sprinkle over the Five Spice. Sear in a hot pan to colour.⠀

Submerge the pork in the Asian stock and place in a slow cooker or low oven (140 degrees) covered for 6 hours.⠀

Lift the pork out onto a warm plate – careful as it will be falling apart. Pour the juices into a serving jug.

Gently shred the pork with two forks and serve.

---

15 minute Prawn Goan Curry

Yes 15 minutes. That’s it! If you’ve got prawns in your freezer and a can of coconut milk in the cupboard, you can knock this up in less time than it will take you to stew over a takeaway menu. Perfect for when you need a super easy, quick curry fix.

INGREDIENTS for 4:-

700g king prawns, deveined and shelled
1 tbsp ground nut, coconut or olive oil
2 garlic cloves crushed
5cm ginger grated or chopped
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
3 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
5 curry leaves
2 tsp brown sugar
1 green or red chilli chopped
400ml coconut milk
Juice of 2 limes
200g green beans topped and tailed and halved
150g fresh mango, cubed

Heat a pan and add the oil. Add the garlic, ginger, curry leaves, chilli and all the dried spices. Stir for a minute or two before adding the coconut milk and sugar.

Simmer for a minute then add the green beans.

Simmer for 5 minutes then add the prawns mango and lime juice. Simmer again for 5 minutes and serve!

---

Follow @annasfamilykitchen for more amazing recipes