East African Chicken Curry

Top the chicken curry with some chunky sambals containing tomato, onions & coriander and you have a taste sensation !

Following on from the popular “Dad’s Chicken Curry” recipe which I posted a couple of months ago (the recipe can be found here), here is my own East African inspired chicken curry recipe which I have developed over the years by taking a little bit of one recipe and a little of another until I have come up with a great tasting curry !

When my husband and I were running safari camps in Tanzania, I was fortunate enough to work with many great East African chefs from both the inland and coastal parts of Tanzania, Zanzibar and Kenya. As a result I picked up different styles and ideas from each of them … and also learnt to make the most of local ingredients (all of which this recipe contains). So here is just one of the curry recipes I came up with, thanks to all the great inspiring chefs I had the pleasure to meet and learn from -:


East African Chicken Curry

2 – 3 tbsp Oil
4 red Onions, chopped
2 ½ tbsps Garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh Ginger, finely grated
2 heaped tbsp medium Curry powder
1 heaped tbsp Cumin powder
1 heaped tbsp Garam Masala powder
1 heaped tbsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Cinnamon powder
½ tsp Chilli powder
1 tbsp Salt
3 tbsp Tomato Paste/Puree
1,2 kg’s raw Chicken meat, cubed
1 tin (400gm) peeled Tomatoes, un drained
2 tbsp Lime juice
½ cup Water
3 Potatoes, cubed and par boiled
3 heaped tbsp fresh Coriander, chopped

Fry the onions in the oil until they start to turn golden. Then add the garlic & ginger and continue to cook – stir frequently to prevent sticking. Then add the curry, cumin, garam masala, coriander, cinnamon and chilli powders and stir well to blend. Add the salt and tomato paste and stir until a thick paste has formed (around 2 minutes). If you need to, you can add a little of the water at this stage to prevent sticking. Now add the cubed chicken meat and stir well so that it is coated by the curry paste. Add the tomatoes, stir, and then add the lime juice, water and par boiled potato cubes. Leave to simmer for about 25 minutes and then add the fresh Coriander. Cook for a further 5 minutes before serving over rice with some hot buttered garlic nan bread and chunky sambals* on the side – aahhhh ….. a little taste of East African curry heaven !

As with most curries, this always tastes better if you eat it a day or two after making it, as it allows time for the flavours to develop and intensify.

*For my sambals I used chopped red onions, tomatoes and coriander

Chicken, Tomato & Basil Sauce for Pasta

This sauce tastes great with pasta - but is just as nice served over rice

I came up with this recipe one day when my husband said he was craving ‘a nice tomatoey sauce for pasta. But it must have meat in it, too’. The recipe worked out really well, and now I make it quite often. It also freezes well.

Chicken, Tomato & Basil Sauce for Pasta

1 – 2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 Onions, finely sliced
2 tsp Garlic, minced
2 chicken breasts, cubed
2 ½ tbsp Tomato Paste
400 gm tin whole peeled Tomatoes
1 – 2 tbsp Fresh Basil leaves, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
¼ cup Water

Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onions and garlic. Cook until golden and then add the chicken. Fry for around 5 minutes before adding the tomato paste, tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Add some of the water if the sauce seems too thick. Continue to cook until the chicken is done and garnish with a few fresh basil leaves just before serving. (This is great served over pasta, and is just as nice with rice).

A Recipe for Chicken Picante

Chicken Picante, Picante Chicken - either way you say it, it's delicious all the same !

I should just point out that you’ll find a lot of chicken recipes on my blog. This is mainly because it is one of the few decent quality meats we can get here. Even then, it leaves a lot to be desired as most of the chicken we buy here has a very fishy taste as the chickens are fed a lot of fish meal. Also, even when completely cooked the chicken sometimes remains pink inside – I always had to explain this to guests in our safari camps, and sometimes I think that they really doubted me and just thought that we’d undercooked the chicken !

Anyway, chicken is the one meat that you will always find in my freezer. Beef ? Well, local beef is quite dreadful so we buy a lot of beef imported from Kenya, but even then it is often “hit or miss” and not of a very consistent quality … no matter what the cut. Pork is okay although not very common here and many shops do not stock it due to religious beliefs.

My husband and I are not that fond of fish so it does not feature regularly on our menu. Lamb ? Neither my husband nor I eat (or enjoy) it. Even though the 'lamb' we get here is not lamb but mutton (masquerading as lamb). The only time we ever eat it is when we are served it at someone’s home. (Having said that though, my husband will eat the very odd lamb shank.)

You’d think we’d be better off as Vegetarians, eh ?! Well, we do manage quite well and of course we get quite nice imported (from Kenya, again) pork sausages and bacon, cold meats and I use beef or pork mince for making pasta sauces, Bolognese, lasagna, meatballs and the like.

I was thrilled to discover a shop in the that city is currently stocking jars of “Taco Sauce” … a well known American brand, to boot ! So I snapped several up (you never know when you might see them again !). Apart from the ‘standard’ uses for Taco Sauce, I had to find a nice recipe to use it in, and came across this one which I adapted from the original version from the book “Hurry Up Chicken Recipes”(my adaptations are in brackets) -:


Chicken Picante

½ cup medium hot Salsa (or Taco Sauce)
¼ cup creamy Dijon Mustard (or Honey & Mustard salad dressing)
2 tbsp Lime Juice
4 Chicken breasts
2 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Crème Fraiche (or Plain Yoghurt)

Mix Salsa, Mustard & Lime juice together and marinade the chicken breasts in this for about 30 minutes. Then remove them from the marinade (reserve it) and pan fry in the butter until golden and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and pour the marinade in to the pan. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes, whilst stirring. Just before the end of the cooking time, stir in 2 tbsp Crème Fraiche and stir to blend. Arrange the chicken breasts on a serving platter and pour the cooked marinade/sauce over the breasts and garnish with some coriander leaves (or lime slices). Goes well with rice.

Chicken & Broccoli Bake

Cream of chicken soup would make a nice substitute for the cheese sauce

My Mum gave me this recipe which was passed on to her (and adapted) by my sister, who got it from a friend of hers when she still lived in South Africa. So I have no idea where the recipe actually originates from. All I know is that it is dead easy to make, yet tastes like you went to a lot of effort to make it ! (In fact, I’m thinking of making it the next time we have visitors to the farm).

Chicken & Broccoli Bake

Oil
+- 6 assorted Chicken pieces
1 large Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
½ to 1 head of Broccoli, broken in to florets & blanched
1 x 250 ml pkt of Cheese sauce (or homemade equivalent - you can use my recipe here)

In a pan, brown the chicken pieces in the oil & then remove from the pan and set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, & cook until golden. Now put the chicken pieces, onion and garlic into an oven proof dish and add the blanched broccoli florets and cheese sauce. Mix all together well and bake at 180’C/350’F/Gas Mark 4 uncovered for +- 30 minutes.

You could substitute the cheese sauce in this recipe for a tin of creamed soup. You could also top the mixture with grated cheese and brown under the grill before serving.

Serve with rice and a fresh garden salad (so that you won’t feel too guilty eating all that cheese !).

Dad's Chicken Curry

Nothing beats the flavour of my Dad's "famous" curry !

(Note : My "East African Chicken Curry" recipe can be found here)

My Dad makes the most delicious curries. He makes the “real deal” and tries to get all his spices and pastes from authentic oriental markets (like the one in Durban, South Africa) and Zanzibar. He stocks up on Zanzibari spices at our local markets & shops when he visits us in Tanzania, and I often bring him more spices when I come to visit. He has been known to travel with his “box of spices” when visiting far flung family members who crave his curries and as a result has cooked curries in Spain, England and on his visits to us in Tanzania.

So, it was only natural when he asked me what meals I’d like to eat whilst I am here, that I replied “One of your curries, Dad” and I opted for chicken as I love chicken and could eat it every day !

So, here is my Dad’s “famous” curry recipe -:

Dad’s Chicken Curry

+-1 kg assorted Chicken pieces (thighs, legs, wings, breast pieces)
Sunflower oil for frying
1 Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 tbsp medium Curry Powder (yellow coloured one works well for this recipe)
1 tsp ground Chilli Powder
1 tbsp each of lightly roasted coriander & cumin seeds, ground in a pestle
2 - 3 Bay Leaves
1 – 2 tsp ground Cummin
1 tbsp ground Turmeric (or a little saffron)
2 tomatoes, chopped/peeled
Water
1 bunch fresh Coriander, chopped
1 tsp ground Garam Masala
2 tsp fresh Ginger, grated
Salt – to taste
chopped fresh Chillies (with or without seeds) – to taste

Lightly fry the chicken pieces in the oil until golden. Remove the chicken & lightly fry the onion & garlic. Add the curry powder, chilli powder, roasted ground coriander & cumin seeds & bay leaves and fry lightly to release the flavours. Add the ground cumin & half the turmeric then add the tomatoes & cook lightly, adding water if necessary. Only then add the chicken pieces & cook for about 10 mins with the lid on. Then add the remaining ingredients - coriander, garam masala, fresh ginger, salt, fresh chillies & the other half of the turmeric. Cook covered for 30 mins & according to taste, add more chillies & a little more water (or milk) until the right texture is reached.

Serve on a bed of basmati rice with sambals (mixture of chopped tomato, cucumber, onions, green pepper & celery) chutney, sliced bananas & grated coconut on the side.

Poppadums can also be served as an accompaniment and if you’d like to try them prepared according to Haandi’s restaurant in Nairobi, Kenya (known to be one of the very best of it’s kind !) then spread some of the sambals over the p0ppadums before serving & add a liberal sprinkling of fresh coriander over the top – delicious !

My Dad notes “I like my curry to be light in both texture & colour, which should be yellowish to complement the chicken. To me the flavour is determined by the curry powder & spices, whilst the hotness is determined by the fresh chillies. Both these can be regulated to personal taste. I like a strong coriander influence, without dominating the overall flavour which is a typical Durban Indian curry influence. Quantities of ingredients should be by choice, so you can adjust any of the ingredients to suit your own taste”.

(This curry is also lovely served the day after as the flavours develop & intensify overnight.)

Cheesy Stuffed Chicken Breasts wrapped In Ham

These tasted great served with a fresh garden salad

We have satellite TV here on the farm – and it’s a God send ! It helps to keep us sane, and in touch with what’s going on in the outside world. Along with the internet, of course (which is as frustratingly slow as dial-up and is also via satellite – we have a large dish strategically placed in our garden).

Anyway, we love watching the “BBC Food” channel, and one of our all time favourite programmes is “MasterChef”. (The series shown here is usually a little behind the UK “live” series, but still …. ) Well …. I pretend that I actually love watching the programme, when in fact what I really watch it for is John Torode (one of the presenters) who’s quite a tasty looking dish himself ;)

We were watching it earlier this week, and one of the contestants made a really simple dish of chicken breasts stuffed with cheese, and wrapped in ham. (“Do you think this is good enough to get you through to the next round ?” John asked the nervous contestant as she presented the dish for him to sample “This is Masterchef, you know”.)

Well, the contestant never made it to the next round, but I thought I’d give the dish a try yesterday, as I just happened to have all the ingredients on hand. I used those boxed cheese triangles (mashed up) for the filling – which I smuggled back in my suitcase when we returned from our UK holiday in January … he he … the lengths I’ll go to, to bring “exotic” ingredients home ………

Cheesy Stuffed Chicken Breasts wrapped in Ham

2 Chicken Breasts
5 Cheese Triangles (let’s be honest here, they taste awful eaten on their own !)
1 tbsp Fresh Basil, chopped
2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt
4 slices Ham (Parma ham would work well – so would bacon)
Olive oil

Cut slits in the chicken breasts to make pockets. Mash the cheese triangles together with the basil, garlic & salt. Spoon the mixture in to the pockets and cover each breast with 2 slices of overlapping ham. Secure in place with toothpicks. Place in a lightly oiled casserole dish, and brush some oil on the top of each breast. Bake at 190’C/375’F/Gas Mark 5 for +- 30 minutes, or until cooked through.

I’m pleased to announce that my husband put me through to the second round, and that this dish will be appearing on our dinner table again. (Smuggled cheese stocks permitting, of course !)

An Easy Recipe for Orange Marmalade Chicken

The edge of the dish looks a bit messy - served straight from oven to table !

I stumbled upon this recipe for Orange Marmalade Chicken several years ago in a South African magazine – either “Fair Lady” or “Femina” … I can’t remember now. Anyway, it caught my eye because I happened to have all the ingredients listed in my pantry at the time – they are the sort of ingredients that you usually do have on hand yet would never think to use in this combination.

It makes for an unusual but tasty meal and has made a regular appearance on our dinner table over the years, especially when we’ve had friends and family to stay. In fact, it’s become a sort-of standing joke amongst some family members “Oh - first night at Lynda’s means it’ll be Marmalade Chicken !” Which is true, I usually do serve it to people on their first night’s stay with us !

I have to say that my toddler does not enjoy this one, which is unusual as she eats almost anything. She says it’s “got too much chilli in it, Mama” which I suspect is actually the peppery tang of the ginger she’s referring to. Still, she loves helping me pick the rosemary sprigs that go in it ……..

Orange Marmalade Chicken

8 x chicken pieces
Salt & Pepper to taste
6 tbsp Orange Marmalade
2 tbsp Wholegrain Mustard
2 tbsp English Mustard
2 tsp Ginger, finely grated
¼ cup Orange Juice
¼ cup Chicken Stock
1 tbsp Mustard Seeds (Optional)
Fresh Rosemary Sprigs

Place the chicken pieces in an ovenproof dish, & season with the salt and pepper. Mix the remaining ingredients together to make a sauce, & pour over the chicken pieces. Tuck fresh rosemary sprigs in between the chicken pieces and bake (uncovered) at 200’C/400’F/Gas Mark 6 for about an hour, basting the chicken with the sauce at least twice during the cooking time.

I usually remove the cooked rosemary sprigs and decorate with fresh ones before serving.