Chicken Katsu Curry with Firecracker Noodles

This is one of my first attempts at Japanese cooking and also an attempt to recreate one of my favourite dishes from YO! Sushi. I loosely based my curry recipe around this one by Simon Rimmer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chicken_katsu_curry_48890. This was really tasty, it out quite differently from the one at YO! Sushi, but there was a similar taste in there and mine was spicier and more tomatoey! I guessed the recipe for the firecracker noodles. I think another nice addition to the curry would've been ground-up peanuts, or perhaps sesame seeds.

 

 

Ingredients (serves 2):

For the Katsu Curry:
2 Chicken Breasts
1 Egg (beaten)
Plate of seasoned Plain Flour
Plate of Breadcrubs
1 Onion, sliced
3/4 tube Tomato Puree
Small piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
tsp Cumin Seeds
tbsp and 1/2 Turmeric
tsp ground Coriander
tsp dried Coriander
Cardamon Pods (if you have any, I'd ran out)
6-7 Garlic Cloves, chopped
(any other spices you think may go: pinch smoked Paprika, pinch Cayenne etc. I added some extras myself but can't quite remember which!)
300ml Chicken Stock (see basics or use 2 stock cubes)
Oil for shallow frying (Vegtable, sunflower, groundnut)
3-4 tbsp soy sauce
tsp honey (optional)
Splash Oil for frying Onions

For the firecracker noodles:
Pack of dried noodles (whichever you prefer: Udon, Vermicelli etc.)
1 Orange Pepper, finely chopped
1 Onion, finely chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
2 Hot Chillis, finely chopped (Birdseye or Scotch Bonnent perhaps)
Extra chilli flakes (optional, depending on how firey you like your firecracker!)
4-6 Spring Onions, sliced
Splash of Oil


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees and oil for shallow-frying on the hob (BE CAREFUL), in a heavy based saucepan, on a med-high heat, prepare the chicken breasts by giving them a bash with a rolling pin between a sheet of cling film. Roll them individually in the flour, then egg and then bread crumbs and set to one side while you start the sauce. Fry for a 3-4 minutes on each side until golden  brown then place onto baking tray and set aside.
2. For the Katsu Curry sauce: in a frying pan/wok dry roast the spices for a couple of minutes then grind them together in a pestle and mortar. Next heat a little oil on a medium heat in the same pan, and fry the sliced onions and garlic until browned and softened. Now is the time to put the tray of breasts into the pre-heated oven (they'll take 20 minutes).
3. Add the ground spices, tomato puree and stock, bring to the boil then leave to simmer whilst you prepare the rest of the dish.
4. Boil the kettle and cook and drain noodles to pack instructions (this usually takes only 2-4 minutes). In a seperate/new frying pan add a splash of oil, pre-heat to a medium heat and fry garlic, onions, pepper, chilli and chilli flakes and fry until nearly softened (5-6 minutes). Add Spring Onions and drained noodles. Make sure the noodles are coated in oil and mixed well with all the other ingredients. Season to taste and these are done.
5. Add soy sauce and honey (if using) to curry sauce, mix well and make sure piping hot for service.
6. Remove breasts from oven. Serve how you would like on the plate. You could place noodles on first, then place breast on top then pour over sauce, but I served noodles then breast with sauce side by side. Enjoy!