Sweet Chicken Curry Slow-Cooked with Mango Chutney

The PolyBlog
June 16 2026

Sweet Chicken Curry Slow-Cooked with Mango Chutney

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Prep 20 minutes
Cook 4 hours 30 minutes
Total 4 hours 50 minutes
This was an adaptation of a recipe from a diet recipe book for slow cookers, and it was pretty easy. Also, there is a limited number of items to chop, dice and slice. And the mango chutney is really the key to the sweet taste. I wasn’t a big fan of chutney before, but it is awesome here.
The overall time is about 5 hours, but most of that is cooking time. A weekend project unless you have time to get it going in the morning.
Servings 4 servings
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Indian
Pencil-sketch cattails rising from pond water

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 Bell pepper (red or green, large)
  • 1 Onion (large)
  • 1 Tomato (large)
  • ½ cup Mango chutney
  • ⅓ cup Water
  • 2 tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1 ½ tbsp Curry powder
  • Rice

Equipment

  • Slow-cooker
  • 1 Mixing bowl(s) (medium)
  • 1 Non-stick pot(s) (optional)
  • Rice cooker (optional)
Pencil-sketch cattails rising from pond water Start Cooking

Method

Sous-Chef Preparations
  1. Chop the 1 lb Boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces.
  2. Chop the 1 Bell pepper into 1-inch pieces.
  3. Slice the 1 Onion.
  4. Seed and chop the 1 Tomato.
Main preparations
  1. Place the chopped 1 lb Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped 1 Bell pepper, and 1 Onion in the slow cooker and mix them together well.
  2. Add the 1 Tomato on top, evenly distributed.
  3. In a small or medium mixing bowl, combine the ½ cup Mango chutney, ⅓ cup Water, 2 tbsp Cornstarch and 1 ½ tbsp Curry powder. Pour the chutney sauce evenly over all the ingredients already in the slow cooker.
    4. You could experiment with different chutneys for different flavours.
  4. Cover, cook on low for 3.5 to 4.5 hours or until the chicken is tender.
    5. About 15 minutes before serving, start cooking rice (if desired) in either the non-stick pot or rice cooker.
  5. Serve over rice.

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Chocolate Chip Caramel Rolls baked in Brown Sugar and Cinnamon

The PolyBlog
June 15 2026

Chocolate Chip Caramel Rolls baked in Brown Sugar and Cinnamon

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Prep 1 hour
Cook 35 minutes
Rise 2 hours
Total 3 hours 35 minutes
I snagged the base for this recipe from a “Taste of Home Fall Baking – Fresh from the Oven” cookbook.
My first real attempt at a full baking recipe, part of a new goal for myself, so I started with what looked like an easy one. But it proved a little more challenging on the kneading and need for adjustments, plus multiple steps, so I'm going to raise it to moderate. The total time adds up with waiting for things to rise and then cook, so I'd push this to a weekend activity unless you can do a few early steps well before dinner time and then just cook at the end.
Servings 12 servings
Type Buns & Rolls
Method American
Pencil-sketch cattails rising from pond water

Ingredients

Dough
  • ¾ cup Water (warm)
  • 2 ¼ tsp Active dry yeast
  • ¾ cup Milk (2%)
  • 3 tbsp Canola oil
  • ¼ cup Sugar (more in Filling)
  • 1 ½ tsp Salt
  • 4 cups All-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup Chocolate chips (miniature, semi-sweet; more in Filling)
Filling
  • ¼ cup Butter
  • ⅓ cup Sugar (more in Dough)
  • 2 tbsp Cinnamon (ground)
  • 1 cup Chocolate chips (miniature, semi-sweet; more in Dough)
Syrup
  • 1 cup Brown sugar (packed)
  • ¾ cup Whipping cream (light)

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Hand mixer
  • Rolling pin
  • 2 Mixing bowl(s) (large)
  • 2 Mixing bowl(s) (small)
Pencil-sketch cattails rising from pond water Start Cooking

Method

Dough
  1. Starting with a large bowl, use 3/4 cup Water (warm) to dissolve the 2 ¼ tsp Active dry yeast.
  2. Warm the ¾ cup Milk (2%) and add it to the large bowl with the 3 tbsp Canola oil, ¼ cup Sugar, 1 ½ tsp Salt, and 3 cups All-purpose flour (3 cups only for this part).
  3. Use an electric hand-mixer to beat the mixture for 3 minutes. Note: The original recipe called for medium speed, but I confess this mixture was EXTREMELY gooey and I needed high speed just to make a dent.
    4. You can stir in the remaining flour to make a firmer dough, which should also reduce the stickiness.
  4. Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and start kneading, adding in the ¾ cup Chocolate chips as you go. 8 minutes should do it, making the dough smooth and elastic.
  5. Place it all in a greased bowl, turning the dough over and around once in the bowl so the dough is greased on the top, bottom, and sides.
  6. Cover and let rise, 1 hour. It should double in size, particularly if in a warm area.
  7. Punch the dough down in the bowl, then turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle flour on the rolling pin, then roll out the dough to make an 18×12-inch rectangle.
Filling
  1. Soften the ¼ cup Butter, either naturally or in the microwave, and spread it on the rectangle, keeping it within a border of about ½ inch around the edges.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the ⅓ cup Sugar and 2 tbsp Cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture over the buttered rectangle (it should look like dusting, but a bit thicker).
  3. Dust the top again, this time with the remaining 1 cup Chocolate chips, gently pressing the chips into the dough.
    4. If you don't press the chocolate chips into the dough, they will simply shift and bunch up when you roll up the dough in the next step.
  4. Roll up the dough from the long side, making it look like a jelly roll. Pinch the final seam to seal.
    5. If you don't pinch it to seal it firmly, it will unravel when you cut and put it in the baking dish.
  5. Cut the “long roll” into 12 even-width slices.
Syrup
  1. Combine the 1 cup Brown sugar and ¾ cup Whipping cream in a small bowl. Pour into a 13×9-inch baking dish, which should be enough room for it to expand.
    2. The original recipe called for heavy whipping cream, which the store was out of, so I used light cream instead. It worked just fine, so I left it that way in the recipe.
  2. Take the 12 slices and lay them individually on their side (a cut-side down) on top of the syrup in the baking dish. Place them evenly in the pan, leaving room for them to expand.
Baking
  1. Cover and let rise. They should double in size in about 50-60 minutes. Start preheating your oven at the 45-minute mark.
  2. Bake at 375 ℉ until golden brown, 30-35 minutes in total depending on your oven and if it was fully preheated. Remove the baking dish from the oven.
  3. Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes, and then remove them from the container onto a platter/plate.
  4. Serve warm.
    5. We made 12, but these are extremely rich for a regular dessert. We cut them in half for serving.

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Until the next sun rises…

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Maple Pork Tenderloin with Maple Syrup and Dijon Mustard

The PolyBlog
June 14 2026

Maple Pork Tenderloin with Maple Syrup and Dijon Mustard

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Prep 10 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Marinate 1 hour
Total 1 hour 50 minutes
Andrea snagged this recipe from her Mom, and it might have originally been a Looney-Spoons recipe. It’s pork tenderloin with maple syrup and Dijon mustard. Sure, there’s other stuff in it, but those are the two flavours that pop. Totally awesome.
The cooking time for this is just under an hour, but it is best to let it sit in the marinade for at least an hour or overnight. With a little pre-planning, this can easily be a meal for a free night or even a weeknight.
Servings 6
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Canadian
Pencil-sketch cattails rising from pond water

Ingredients

Marinade
  • ¼ cup Orange juice
  • ½ cup Maple syrup (pure)
  • 2 tbsp Soy sauce (sodium-reduced)
  • 2 tbsp Ketchup (sodium reduced)
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp Garlic (minced)
  • 1 ½ tsp Curry powder
  • 1 ½ tsp Coriander (ground)
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Meat
  • 1 ½ lbs Pork tenderloin

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Baking dish(es) or small roasting pan
  • Mixing bowl(s) (medium)
Pencil-sketch cattails rising from pond water Start Cooking

Method

Sous-chef Preparations
  1. Trim the fat from the 1 ½ lbs Pork tenderloin.
Prepare the marinade
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients: ¼ cup Orange juice, ½ cup Maple syrup, 2 tbsp Soy sauce, 2 tbsp Ketchup, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tsp Garlic, 1 ½ tsp Curry powder, 1 ½ tsp Coriander, and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce.
  2. Place the 1 ½ lbs Pork tenderloin in a large, heavy-duty, resealable plastic bag.
  3. Pour the marinade over the pork and seal the bag.
  4. Turn the bag several times to coat and then let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Cooking the meat
  1. Transfer the pork and marinade to a small roasting pan or baking dish.
  2. Roast, uncovered, at 350°F for 40 minutes. The pork should be slightly pink in the middle.
  3. Let the pork stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice thinly.
  4. Drizzle extra sauce over the pork and serve immediately.

Notes

 

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Until the next pot simmers…

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Green Curry Chicken with Eggplant and Lemongrass

The PolyBlog
June 12 2026

Green Curry Chicken with Eggplant and Lemongrass

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Prep 40 minutes
Cook 1 hour
Total 1 hour 40 minutes
This is one of my favourite dishes, compliments of a cooking course through the local public school board. I have rated it “mild” for spice. Note too that there are variations (one for a thicker sauce and one to use bone-in) shown in Tips which change the instructions where indicated.
I have rated it moderate for the level of difficulty, but that is a bit misleading. The individual steps are not particularly difficult, nor is the sequencing, but there are a significant number of detailed steps (including sous-chef preparations) and it takes a long time to prep and cook; it is definitely not a quick weeknight meal, more of a weekend effort.
Servings 4
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Thai
Pencil-sketch cattails rising from pond water

Ingredients

  • 1 Eggplant (or egg pea plant)
  • 4 tbsp Vegetable cooking oil
  • 3 Shallots (or small onions)
  • 3 Kaffir leaves
  • 2 tbsp Green curry paste (or 125 ml green curry sauce per tbsp)
  • 2 tbsp Coriander root
  • 1 tsp Galangal powder
  • 1 tbsp Lemongrass (ground)
  • 1 clove Garlic
  • 1 tsp Cumin seed
  • 1 tsp Red curry powder
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Pepper (to taste)
  • 5 tbsp Fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp Palm sugar (or brown sugar)
  • 3 White potatoes (medium-sized)
  • 1 kg Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or bone-in, see notes)
  • 1-1.5 cups White jasmine rice (long-grain)
  • 800 ml Thick coconut milk
  • 1 Handful Green beans
  • Green leaf basil (for garnish, as desired)

Equipment

  • Stovetop / range
  • 2 Non-stick pot(s)
  • Wok (optional)
  • Rice cooker (optional)
Pencil-sketch cattails rising from pond water Start Cooking

Method

Sous-Chef Preparations
  1. Chop the 1 Eggplant into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Chop the 3 Shallots into small pieces.
  3. Dice the 3 Kaffir leaves, including the stems.
  4. Chop the 1 clove Garlicinto small pieces.
  5. Peel and chop the 3 White potatoes into bite-sized pieces.
  6. Cut the 1 kg Boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
    7. If you want to use bone-in chicken legs: Remove the fat, sprinkle some salt on the skin, and rub it in. Rinse and dry it, and then cut into bite-sized pieces.
  7. Slice the 1 Handful Green beans into 4 cm lengths.
Main Preparations
    If you prefer, you can use a wok instead of the non-stick pot for the main prep.
  1. In a non-stick pot, stir-fry the chopped 1 Eggplant with Salt in 2 tbsp Vegetable cooking oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until it turns green. Set aside.
  2. Bring a non-stick pot to hot, add 2 tbsp Vegetable cooking oil. Add the chopped 3 Shallots and diced 3 Kaffir leaves. Stir until fragrant.
    3. If you are using bone-in chicken legs: Add the chicken here and cook for 6 minutes or until brown. Remove any fat in the bottom of the pan by draining it with the lid. Then continue.
  3. Make a well in the centre of the mixture. Add the 2 tbsp Green curry paste, 2 tbsp Coriander root, 1 tsp Galangal powder, 1 tbsp Lemongrass, chopped 1 clove Garlic, 1 tsp Cumin seed, 1 tsp Red curry powder, Salt and Pepper (to taste), 5 tbsp Fish sauce, and 1 tbsp Palm sugar. Mix it together.
  4. Add the partially-cooked 1 Eggplant (previously set aside), chopped 3 White potatoes, and chopped 1 kg Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Stir well for 3 minutes.
    5. If you want a thicker sauce: Add more potatoes.
    Optional: Use a non-stick pot or rice cooker to start cooking the 1-1.5 cups White jasmine rice, if desired.
  5. Add the 800 ml Thick coconut milk, let it boil. Simmer until the sauce thickens and the chicken and vegetables are cooked.
  6. Stir in the sliced 1 Handful Green beans. Let it boil for 3 minutes.
  7. Garnish with the Green leaf basil, as desired.
  8. Serve hot with 1-1.5 cups White jasmine rice.

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Until the next pot simmers…

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It’s not you, it’s me: my first book-club breakup

The PolyBlog
June 12 2026

I have over 40 general book clubs that I follow, with several having sublists / groups. My intent when I started was to see what was out there and get out of my reading comfort zone, at least insofar as I would see what was on offer. I combed through 2025, and the first six months of 2026. I have considered WAY too many books, that is clear.

But not only am I considering too many, some of the clubs almost seem like nothing but noise for me. Take this month’s demotion — Library Science, run by Kaia Gerber and Alyssa Reeder. I have been tracking their chosen titles for 10 picks over the last 18 months. Ten picks and ten solid no responses from me. I didn’t opt for ANY of them.

  • Ruins, Child by Giada Scodellaro (April 2026)
  • I Want to Show You More by Jamie Quatro (February 2026)
  • Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell (January 2026)
  • Make Sure You’re Around After You’ve Gone by David Lowery (January 2026)
  • Nymph by Stephanie LaCava (October 2025)
  • The Post Office Girl by Stefan Zweig (September 2025)
  • Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan (June 2025)
  • Early Thirties by Josh Duboff (March 2025)
  • The Wickedest by Caleb Femi (February 2025)
  • Set My Heart on Fire by Izumi Suzuki (January 2025)

None of them were “bad” books; they were simply not for me. They have a clear editorial bent, but the signal they are strongly laying down is not one I am picking up. Which means it isn’t simply “noise”, it’s just not the right signal for me. And so I bid adieu to the club. I fear I’m leaning a little too commercial in my old age, but there is only so much time for reading…

Yet I wonder…Have you read any of those ten books? Did I miss anything amazing?

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