Cape Malay Chicken Curry
A mild South African curry with chicken, warm spices, tomatoes, coconut milk and a sweet-and-spicy chutney.
Ingredients
- skinless chicken thighs800 g
- vegetable oil30 ml
- onion1 pcs
- garlic4 cloves
- ginger root30 g
- green chili1 pcs
- ground cumin2 tsp
- ground coriander2 tsp
- ground turmeric1 tsp
- garam masala1 tbsp
- cinnamon1 stick
- cardamom3 pcs
- chopped tomatoes400 g
- chicken broth250 ml
- coconut milk125 ml
- mango chutney30 g
- lemon juice15 ml
- salt1 to taste
- black pepper (ground)1 to taste
- basmati rice300 g
- water600 ml
- fresh cilantro10 g
Instructions
Pat the chicken thighs dry and cut into large pieces. Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic and ginger root, and deseed and chop the green chili.
Heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Brown the chicken pieces for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden, then transfer to a plate.
In the same pot, cook the onion for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, ginger and chili, and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, garam masala, cinnamon stick and cardamom pods. Stir and toast the spices for 1–2 minutes to release their aroma.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken stock, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Return the chicken along with its juices, cover and simmer over low heat for 30–35 minutes, until the meat is fully cooked through.
While the curry simmers, rinse the basmati rice, cover with water, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 12–15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for another 5 minutes.
Stir the coconut milk and mango chutney into the curry, and warm through for 2–3 minutes. Season with salt, black pepper and lemon juice; adjust the sweet-sour balance if needed.
Serve the curry hot with basmati rice, sprinkled with fresh coriander.
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