Try Heart-Healthy Chicken Curry with Moringa

Curries made with turmeric and coconut milk are amazingly heart-healthy. Add some ginger and garlic and your heart and arteries will thank you even more. This dish will help reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke because of all of its anti-inflammatory compounds. If you can’t find fresh moringa leaves, you can use green tea powder. To make this a vegan entree, substitute tofu or soybeans for the chicken. Vegan or not, this dish is delicious served over white or brown rice.

BENEFITS Curry powder contains curcumin, an anti-inflammatory as powerful as a prescription drug. The fiber in the vegetables helps lower blood cholesterol. Garlic has allicin, which thins the blood and also lowers cholesterol. Plant-based coconut milk contains the anti-inflammatory lauric acid. The potassium in the moringa leaves helps balance sodium and regulate blood pressure.

SERVES 4

Ingredients

1/4 cup onion strips
2 tsp. ginger strips
2 tsp. chopped or crushed garlic
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 lb. chicken strips
2-3 tsp. yellow curry powder
2 tsp. fish sauce
1-2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1 cup heavy coconut milk, divided in half
1 1/2 cups diced potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup water, if needed
1/4 cup red pepper strips
1 cup fresh moringa leaves
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Procedure

1. In a heavy, enamel-coated pot, saute the onion, ginger, and garlic in coconut oil for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the chicken strips and cook another 5 minutes
3. Add the curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Then add the fish sauce, salt, and pepper.
4. Add 1/2 cup of the coconut milk and bring to a boil.
5. Add the potatoes and carrots and boil for 15 minutes or until they are soft and cooked through, stirring frequently. Add 1/2 cup water if the curry is too thick.
6. Add the red peppers and remaining coconut milk. Boil for 5 minutes.
7. Remove from the heat and add the moringa and cayenne pepper (if using).