This one-pot chicken curry embraces Australian ingredients

"My style is just always about flavour," Nornie Bero says."It's not just about putting a lot of ingredients in something. It's about using the right ingredients."When Nornie was growing up, she says the adults around her sometimes had very few ingredients to work with.Nornie Bero says pepperberry and saltbush are versatile additions to any pantry. (Supplied: Hardie Grant Books/Rochelle Eagle)"I've always loved food since I was a child and watching my aunties and my dad creating something out of nothing."Pantry staples such as tinned corned beef and curry powder could do a lot of heavy lifting, she says.Curry powder is an accessible ingredient, and this chicken dish has the nostalgic and comforting flavour of a former family staple, according to Nornie."It feels like home for me," she says.It's also an easy one-pot dinner that Nornie says she regularly turns to during the week.It's all about adding flavour and using a whole chicken — "not just the pretty bits" — does that, while helping to reduce waste and the cost, she says."It creates its own flavour and it's about using everything and not wasting anything, and sometimes you can only spend $10 and buy a whole chicken, but you can make so much more out of it."Tips:If you've never broken down a chicken before, Nornie says to "take your time" and "always move your hand away from your knife". Start with the legs, cutting each one into six pieces, then cut each wing in half, then break down the body into twelve pieces.You can use different cuts of bone-in chicken in this recipe instead of a whole chicken. Thighs, drumsticks and wings work well here, she says.You can also swap the chicken for boneless cuts, such as thigh or breast. However, Nornie says you’ll have to reduce the cooking time, it won’t be quite as flavourful, and you may want to add some other flavourings to help.Saltbush has a salty, umami and herby flavour and grows across Australia and the coastal variety can often be found near a beach, Nornie says. It can also be bought fresh or as dried flakes.If you don’t have saltbush you can substitute it for oregano instead.Pepperberry has a "really clovey, spicy and almost Szechuan hit to it" and is available online and in lots of speciality stores. "[Pepperberry] will change the way that you think of peppers for life," Nornie says.You can find garlic shoots at most Asian grocers or greengrocers. Nornie Bero's Australian curry relies on pantry staples and native herbs Prep time: 15 minutesCook time: 45 minutesSkill level: MediumServes: 6-8 IngredientsOlive oil, for cooking1 whole chicken, broken down into pieces1 onion, diced2 tablespoons grated ginger2 tablespoons crushed garlic3 tablespoons of curry powder, such as Keen's Traditional Curry Powder3 large potatoes, washed and diced2 green capsicums, de-seeded and diced2 cups chicken stock400ml can coconut cream1 teaspoon ground pepperberry2 tablespoons fresh saltbush, chopped½ cup chopped garlic shoots1 bunch gai lan (Chinese broccoli), roughly choppedsea salt, to tastesteamed rice or roti, to serveMethodHeat a good dash of olive oil in a large saucepan or deep frying pan over high heat. In batches, brown the chicken pieces until golden and smelling irresistible. Set aside on a plate. Don’t nibble yet, but you’ll want to.In the same pan, add the onion, ginger and garlic. Cook until fragrant (the "my neighbours are jealous" stage). Stir in the curry powder and bloom for 30 seconds, or until it smells like spicy nostalgia.Toss in the potato and capsicum, coating them in the curry mixture.Return the chicken to the pan, then pour in the stock. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potato softens and the sauce thickens slightly.Add the coconut cream, pepperberry, saltbush and garlic shoots. Stir gently and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the sauce is silky.Stir in the gai lan just before serving so it stays bright and slightly crisp. Taste and season with sea salt. Serve with steamed rice or roti.This recipe is taken from Native Ingredients Everyday by Nornie Bero.