One of My Favorite SB Meals

Good news - the South Beach week is going well so far. Three days and I've lost 3 pounds, though of course I'm sure all of it is water weight. It's still nice to look at the scale and see the numbers going down. This is all preventative so that I can go back to my preferred gluttonous lifestyle, but I have to admit, even when I'm on SB I don't really feel like I'm depriving myself at all. That's because I can eat so many things that I love while I'm on this "diet."

One of those things that I love, and can eat on this diet, is Indian food. Tonight I made one of my favorite SB recipes, the Indian Chicken from the South Beach Quick & Easy Cookbook. I have made this dish three or four times now, and I still have not gotten tired of it. I made a big batch and plan on eating the leftovers tomorrow for lunch.

This dish is also a crowd-pleaser even for those not on South Beach. I'd serve those lucky folks a side of brown or basmati rice to soak up the delicious coconutty and flavorful juices.

I didn't drink any wine with dinner tonight (very sadly) because I'm trying to stay away from it while I'm doing my week o' detox, but I would recommend an off-dry riesling (I had a very great and inexpensive bottle the other week that seems to be widely available). Red wine would also pair great with this dish because it's not spicy - maybe something like a young, fruity grenache.

Indian Chicken
(serves 4)

• 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 can light coconut milk
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Season chicken well with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onion, garlic, curry powder, and ginger to the same skillet. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add cauliflower, coconut milk, and broth; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add chicken back to the pan and cook until sauce is thickened and reduced, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.