Pamphlet Curry

I know the name seems a bit misleading, since this curry is not made with pamphlets in it.  The recipe came from a pamphlet a friend of mine picked up at a grocery store, hence "Pamphlet" curry.  I use this as the title because this is not at all like Indian or Thai curries.  Call it "Curry Lite": something you give to someone who is just venturing into the world of more spicy foods.  This was my first introduction to curries and though I have since moved on and many traditional Indian curries are among my favourite foods, I still enjoy the occasional pamphlet curry.  It's easy to make, quick, and requires ingredients that are easy to get in a grocery store.

Ingredients:

Chicken - I tend to use about 2 boneless tenderloins per person, but any kind or cut of chicken will do.  If using chicken breast, slightly under half of one breast is about the serving size for one person.
Garlic Powder (optional)
Onion Powder (optional)
Ground Cumin (optional)

Sauce:

1 cup Mayo (normal/light) or unflavoured salad dressing (like Miracle Whip)
1 cup Orange Juice
Curry Powder
Crushed Red Pepper (optional)


To Prepare:

1) Cut the chicken into smaller portions.  Think about how big is safely bite sized and try to get it around that size.

2) In a frying pan, cook the chicken on medium-high heat.  You can use oil or cooking spray, but I prefer to simply add a bit of water to keep from adding too much extra fat to the dish.  At this point you can season to taste with garlic powder, onion powder and ground cumin (if you like you can also add in your own seasonings once you're familiar with the recipe.  Salt, pepper and other spices tend to go well)

3) While the chicken is cooking, you can make the sauce.  Put 1 cup of mayo into a bowl and add the curry powder.  How much is generally a matter of taste, but about 1 tablespoon is a fairly safe starting amount for a mild curry.  If you like it spicy, feel free to add more!  Blend your mayo and curry powder mix until smooth.

4) Gradually add your orange juice, stirring constantly with a whisk.  This is important - do not add it all at once or your sauce will be a lumpy mess.  Take it easy and make sure that your sauce blends well as you go.  The recipe calls for half and half - an equal amount of mayo and orange juice.  If you want a thicker sauce, simply reduce the amount of orange juice, for a thinner sauce, increase the orange juice.

5) Add crushed red pepper.  We usually use about two "shakes".  This can be omitted if you want a very mild curry or increased if you want it hot.

6) When your chicken is done, serve it onto a plate and then scoop the curry sauce onto it.  Voila! Pamphlet Curry.  This goes very well with rice and most vegetables.