Chicken Curry - A Caribbean Recipe - Food - Recipes

There's nothing nicer on a cold winter's night than a warming chicken curry. Many of us turn to Indian recipes for our chicken curry but here's a Caribbean recipe or two, just for a change.

Actually here are a couple of different methods for making your own Caribbean chicken curry.

Recipe 1

Ingredients

1 whole chicken1 large onion, peeled and choppedVegetable oil for frying1 tbsp hot curry powder1.5cm root ginger1 cloves garlicSalt and black pepper tsp cayenne pepper3 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

Method

First wash and skin the chicken then cut into joints, then cut each joint into two or three pieces depending on size.

Next, heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion until golden.

Peel and chop the root ginger and the garlic then grind to a paste, using a little water if necessary and add to the onions, continuing to fry for a minute or so.

Add the curry powder, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste. Stir a fry for a minute or two then gradually add about 200ml water. Don't add too much at this stage.

Put the chicken into the pot and stir. Cover and simmer until nearly tender (about 15 minutes), adding water if necessary then add the potatoes, cover once again and cook until the potatoes are done (about another 15 minutes).

This next recipe is a bit spicier than the last so choose whichever one suits your palate the best.

Recipe 2

Ingredients

1 whole chickenLemon or lime juice1 onion, peeled and finely chopped3 spring onions, finely chopped4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed2 hot chillies such as Scotch Bonnet6 tbsp Jamaican curry powder5 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thymeSalt and black pepper to taste1.5 tbsp vegetable oil 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces

Method

Rub the lemon or lime juice all over the chicken then chop it into small pieces.

Combine, the chopped onion, spring onions, chillies and the crushed garlic in a bowl and add the curry powder, thyme, salt, pepper and oil, stir well and mix in the chicken pieces. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least two hours or overnight.

Brown the chicken in some more vegetable oil, add the potatoes and some water and leave to stew on a very low heat for about an hour. Top up the water if necessary.

Traditionally, Caribbean chicken curry is served with rice and peas.