If you’ve never tried Japanese curry bricks you’re missing out. I learned about these flavour-bombs recently and lucked upon them at a specialty food store. They are packed full of flavour but not at all spicy and disintegrate very quickly into a soup or broth. Granted it’s not stew weather here but this was an incredible family-friendly dish that comes together in under an hour.

Serves 5

Ingredients:

2 medium carrots (diced)

2 medium potatoes (cubed)

2 tablespoons neutral oil

500g chicken thighs (6-7)

2 cups broth or water

2 curry bricks

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tablespoon corn starch

1/2 can coconut cream (or milk)

Directions:

Season chicken with all the salt and allow to sit in fridge for 3-4 hours (minimum 30 mins).

Using kitchen scissors or a knife cut chicken into smaller pieces. Heat oil in heavy bottomed pan and place chicken pieces to brown. Make sure not to crowd pan which will cool your skillet and prevent browning. Your chicken may need to be done in two batches.

When chicken is well browned all over, add vegetables over meat and then add broth or water and curry bricks. Allow to come to the boil and cover with a lid, turning your stove to medium. Allow to simmer for 30 mins.

At the end of the 30 mins, remove 1/3 cup broth from pan and place in a bowl with cornstarch. Stir cornstarch to remove lumps then return slurry to the pan. Now add coconut milk. Continue to cook on medium for another 10 mins.

At this point sauce should be thicker and chicken falling apart slightly. Adjust seasonings. Serve with white or brown rice.