Earlier this year, Northern Gas Networks, the North of England’s gas distributor, ran a popular competition asking people across the country to share their favourite slow cooker recipes.

The winning recipe was a Punjabi chicken curry, which includes lots of vegetables and spices. It will serve four people, and also tastes good as warmed through leftovers which you can bulk up with another tin of tomatoes.

Ingredients

3 onions, finely diced
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 heaped tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 400g can of plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of chilli powder
A handful coriander stems, finely chopped
3 fresh green chillies, finely chopped
12 pieces skinless chicken, mixed thighs and drumsticks
2 teaspoons of garam masala
Handful fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Method

Heat the slow cooker to high and add the onion and garlic. Then stir in the ginger, tomatoes, salt, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander stems and chillies.

Add the chicken pieces. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for four hours.

Once cooked, check the seasoning and then stir in the garam masala and coriander leaves. Serve with rice.

Slow cookers are a low-cost, easy-to-use way of cooking hot, healthy meals. Savings of up to 63p per hour can be made by using a slow cooker instead of a traditional cooker, which can make a huge difference to many householders.

NGN works with a number of charities and community organisations across the region to encourage the use of slow cookers, and to share information with customers about energy efficiency, the Priority Services Register and the Government’s Warm Homes discount scheme.

For example, we have supported Community Action Northumberland with funding to set up their initial round of Warm Hubs; informal gatherings which bring people living in rural communities together to enjoy a meal, good company and a friendly welcome.

To find out more about the work that NGN is doing in the communities that we serve, go to https://www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk/ngn-you/our-communities/warm-healthy/