International Food Day First Aid! Light version of Hungarian chicken paprika, 10 minutes

Moms, believe me, my hands are shaking now. It's not cold, it's urgent. The note on the wall with "Wednesday: International Food Day" was laughing at me like a big red letter. When children participate in school activities, they are required to bring a hometown dish or a dish with a "story". I remembered Maria, the Hungarian nanny who used to take care of us in Lyon, and she made the Chicken Paprikash, which tasted like smoked bell peppers mixed with rich cream, absolutely. But! The traditional approach is too heavy. A large amount of sour cream, but also to use flour to fry the batter to thicken, after eating a belly burden, the sugar control mothers shook their heads. But what if you remove these completely? Then it becomes an ordinary "braised chicken nuggets", the soul is gone, and the child will definitely not buy it.

Moms, the light version is not a compromise, but a smart way to make this Hungarian classic appear more often on our tables.

I'm spinning around this dead end right now. There is not enough time, and there are only forty minutes left before the children's interest class is out of school. I just tried a pot, wait, why didn't this sauce hang on the chicken? It's so clear, like water. Ugh, put less sour cream, but if you get tired of more, what to do? When cutting onions, the eyes sting, tears flowed, and the red color of bell pepper pink stained the hands and could not be washed off, like the hands of a child who had just finished drawing abstract paintings. When I tried the sauce, it burned to the tip of my tongue and hissed - but the smoky flavor seemed to be just a little bit right.

I almost gave up, really. I thought why not buy ready-made fast food. But after thinking about it, no, this is for children, and you have to be careful. Suddenly, a clip from learning to serve wine in Lyon flashed in my mind. At that time, in order to pair with light dishes, we often used vegetable puree to add texture to the wine. Yes! Vegetable puree! Why can't you use roasted red pepper puree for thickening? There is also Greek yogurt, which is refreshing and higher in protein than sour cream.

Quick, do it. Roast the red peppers until soft, peel and toss into a blender. Buzz - the sound is so loud, I hope you don't wake up the second child who has just fallen asleep. Pour it into the pot, and the texture will be different in an instant. Thick, smooth, with a natural sweetness. Add two more spoons of Greek yogurt. Stir well. The color is brighter, that attractive orange-red.

Wait, the child's phone and watch are ringing! The vibration startled me. When I picked it up and looked at it, the message: "Mom, leave class early today and be home in ten minutes!" ”

Oh my God! Ten minutes!

Quick, take another bite. The saltiness is just right. The smoky flavor is enough, the taste is light, and there is no longer the floury feeling that sticks to the throat. That's the balance I'm looking for! The improvement of traditional dishes is not a betrayal, but to adapt good taste to modern life, which is more suitable for our busy daily life.

Come on, mothers, take a look at this comparison, and you will have a bottom in your heart. Don't be intimidated by those complicated French jargon, let's just talk about the practical.

See, simple, right? As long as you change a few ideas, the calories will be halved, and the taste will be brighter.

I have two tips on how to make the sauce thick without relying on flour, which have been tested to be effective and are used for emergency purposes:

• Roasted pepper puree method: Roast the red bell peppers until the skin is browned, peel and puree, natural pectin and fiber are the best thickeners, and can also double the smoky flavor.
• Yogurt later: Don't put Greek yogurt early, it will clump! Be sure to turn off the heat a minute before turning off the heat, turn the heat to a minimum, mix it slowly, use the residual temperature to let it melt, and the sauce will instantly become silky.

also, What wine goes with this dish? I know you want to ask. Don't open those heavy Cabernet Sauvignon, which can suppress the vegetables but can't suppress the noise at home.

• Beaujolais Nouveau: a fruity bomb! The fresh strawberry and banana flavors perfectly balance the smoky taste of bell peppers, low in tannins, and children are happy to smell it.
• Dry Rosé: If you only have this bottle at home, it's fine. The refreshing acidity can relieve greasiness, and with this light version of chicken chili powder, it is simply a perfect match for a summer afternoon, even if it is autumn.

I just put the chicken chunks in the insulated lunch box and the movement was so big that the sauce splashed all over my knit sleeves. The orange-red dots are like small flowers. Forget it, it doesn't matter, it can't be washed, anyway, this dress was originally worn for cooking.

The doorbell rang.

It really rang.

At that moment, my heart beat faster than when I was cooking just now. It's not that the food won't be delicious, it's that it's too late. I grabbed the half-drunk Beaujolais bottle on the table and wanted to take a sip of it, but found that the cup was still in the dishwasher.

"Mom! I'm back! The child's voice came from the door, accompanied by the muffled sound of the schoolbag being thrown on the ground.

"It's coming, it's coming!" I shouted, still holding the wooden spoon dipped in sauce in my hand, and my feet slipped, almost stepping on the onion skin that had just fallen to the ground.

This dish can actually be improved. Maybe try coconut milk instead of yogurt next time? Or add some konjac powder? No, konjac powder tastes too chewy, and children may not like it. Or cornstarch is safe. Hey, the lemon in the refrigerator seems to be broken, I have to throw it away quickly, otherwise it will taste good tomorrow.

I walked to the door with a steaming lunch box, still thinking about tomorrow's breakfast. If it's worth it, "in moderation" means another glass.

But, wait, I seem to have forgotten to turn off the small fire on the stove just now?