African Curried Chicken
It is generally the women of Sub-Saharan Africa who do most of the work related to food. This includes work on the "plantations" or "shambas" (as cultivated fields are called), such as planting, weeding, harvesting, as well cooking as cooking and serving the food.
The African kitchen is traditionally outside or in a separate building apart from the sleeping and living quarters. By far the most traditional and to this day the most common sight in an African kitchen is a large swing black pots filled with meat, vegetables, and spices simmering over a fire. The pot usually sits on three stones arranged in a triangle, and the fire slowly consumes three pieces of wood that meet at a point under the pot.
(information from The African Guide)
INGREDIENTS
• 1½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp dried piri-piri chillies
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• ½ tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 400g can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 kg chicken thighs, bones and skin removed, cut into pieces
• 400g can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 lemon, juiced
METHOD
1. Toast the cumin seeds, fennel seeds in a dry frying pan for a few minutes, stirring to make sure they don't burn. Grind these spices with the piri-piri chillies, cinnamon, cloves and black peppercorns in a pestle and mortar or coffee grinder.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in the inner pot over medium heat.
3. Add the onion, garlic, and bay leaf, and cook until onion is lightly browned.
4. Add the tomatoes, curry powder, and salt and continue cooking about 5 minutes.
5. Add the chicken, bring to the boil.
6. Add the lemon juice and turn down to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat and put the inner pot into the insulated outer container,
8. Shut the lid and leave to thermal cooker without power for a minimum of 2 hours.
9. Before serving check the seasoning.
10. Serve with rice which you can cook in the top pot.
11. Reduce skillet heat to low. Stirring constantly, gradually blend in the coconut milk over a period of about 10 minutes. Mix in lemon juice just before serving.
NOTE: This recipe is supplied by Chef Dave Knowles from the UK and is described for a 4.5 litre inner saucepan so you will need to adjust quantities if you are using something else.