Yes it is healthy!
Just because you are wanting to eat healthy, doesn’t mean you have to just have salads all the time – unless of course you love to do that.
The reason this food is often unhealthy is the way the chicken is fried in a lot of oil.
One of the secrets to frying food in a healthy way is to use less oil and to use a healthy oil. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) has a lot of evidence behind it showing it to be an excellent choice for health. Therefore, I use it most of the time in cooking. The only time I would use a different oil is if I don’t want the flavour of the EVOO. In that case, I would choose a low flavoured oil like grapeseed oil, which also has the high smoke point you need when cooking with oils to reduce the carcinogenic reactions that occur when oils start to burn.
So back to frying with less oil. I find the best way to use less oil is to use an oil sprayer. You will see me using this in the video. It is very convenient and easy to use. I found mine at the supermarket.
Another think I do with this recipe is to make it all about the veggies (well, really it’s all about the Katsu sauce, but lets not go there). Because of the excellent flavours of the sauce, you can easily add plenty of vegetables to be covered with lovely Katsu curry flavour. This is great for those who don’t like plain vegetables. I know my son would prefer the vegetables to remain separate so he can enjoy the chicken and rice with the curry without the interference of vegetables. Well each to their own. Do what works best for your crew. Just remember to add plenty of veggies 🥕 🥦 either in the sauce or on the side.
The other thing to mention is to use basmati rice either white or brown. Brown is higher in fibre, but both are lower GI than your typical white rice. Lower GI food just takes longer to be absorbed and so it means you will stay satisfied for longer and you shouldn’t get the big energy drop after a meal.
The final tip is about the sauce. Just note that it does take a bit of time for the sauce to simmer. But if you do the full batch, you can save some for the next 3 times you make this dish, saving you time in the long run.
If you have any feedback on this recipe, please leave a comment. Otherwise, I hope you really enjoy it!
Katsu Curry
This Japanese style curry is super tasty and can be a great way to add lots of vegetables to a meal.
Ingredients
- Katsu curry
- Katsu sauce (makes 4 batches)
Method
- 1
For the Katsu sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion, carrot and garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes or until soft.
- 2
Add the curry powder, stock powder and flour. Stir through the carrot mix and allow it to heat for about 1 minute.
- 3
Gradually pour in the water while stirring to form a sauce. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- 4
Blend the sauce until smooth with a stick blender (or in a blender). Divide into 4 portions and freeze 3 portions in containers for future meals.
- 5
To cook the rice, bring 2 cups of water to the boil in a saucepan with the lid on. Meanwhile, rinse the rice. When the water is boiling, pour the rice in, give it a quick stir and return the lid. When it comes back to the boil, turn the heat down to low so it is only simmering. Simmer for 18 minutes, check it is done and turn the heat off.
- 6
While the rice is cooking, trim the chicken of fat and cut it into strips.
- 7
Mix the cornflour and curry powder in a bowl. Dip each piece of chicken in the cornflour mix until it is all coated.
- 8
Heat a large frypan over high heat and spray with EVOO until there is a thin coating. Add the chicken and cook on one side.
- 9
Before flipping, spray oil over the chicken until the flour is lightly covered. Flip and cook the other side until lightly browned. Remove and place on a paper towel until needed. You may need to cook the chicken in 2 batches so the pan isn't overcrowded.
- 10
Put all the veggies in the frypan with the mushrooms on the bottom. Cook through, stirring regularly.
- 11
Once the veggies are cooked to your liking, pour one portion of Katsu sauce over them, mix it evenly through and allow it to heat up.
- 12
To serve, place about 1/2 cup of rice in a bowl and top with the veggies and chicken.
Nutrition (per serving)
Estimated from the FSANZ Australian Food Composition Database. Actual values will vary depending on the specific products used — not a substitute for individual dietary advice.
