chicken-coconut curry
What you need
- two or three spoonfuls cooking oil or butter
- one onion, finely chopped
- two sweet green peppers (bell peppers), chopped
- one clove fresh garlic, minced
- one-half teaspoon ground ginger
- one teaspoon curry powder (or a similar amount of a combination of ground cayenne pepper or red pepper, cumin, coriander, and turmeric)
- a few whole cloves
- one teaspoon salt
- one chicken, cut into small serving-sized pieces
- one cup water
- four (or more) potatoes, cleaned and cut into quarters
- three ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
- two cups coconut milk (see next post)
- fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
- one tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
What you do
- Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven. Over high heat fry the onions and green peppers for a few minutes, stirring constantly Stir in the minced garlic and fry for a minute longer. Add the spices and salt and mix well.
- Add the chicken to the pot. (Add another spoonful of oil if necessary to keep chicken from sticking.) Brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Add the water to the pot and bring to a slow boil. Add the potatoes and cook them until they begin to become tender. Return the chicken to the pot and continue to cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally, until the chicken and potatoes are done.
- Stir in the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes more. Then add the coconut milk, reduce heat, and gently stir and simmer until sauce is thickened. Stir in the lemon juicec. Garnish with the fresh coriander leaves or parsley immediately before serving.
- Serve Kuku Paka with Chapati or Rice.
- Drink Cardamom Tea or Chai with the meal or afterwards.
Another way: In a separate pot, boil or fry the potatoes at the same time the onions and chicken are cooking, (no need to remove the chicken). Add the cooked potatoes to the onions and chicken when the chicken is done, before adding the coconut milk.
Some cooks also add a bit of lemon juice and/or grated lemon peel as is done in Akoho sy Voanio which is another African chicken-and-coconut dish, from farther south on Africa's east coast.
