A Cultural Blend: Curry Chicken for the Soul
One of the first memories I can recall is eating curry chicken, poured over buttery roti, at the kitchen table with my Trinidadian grandmother, after seeing her labour in the kitchen for several hours. It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence in my household; as the daughter to a Trinidadian mother and Jamaican father, I was no stranger to the act of love we know as good cooking. Over the years, I came to associate the scent of curry with safety; it was the meal I requested for dinner after a bad day at school, and the meal my stepmother had on the stove when I came home from university for a visit.
Despite it being the same dish, any West Indian can tell you that each island has it’s own slightly different take on curry; and each island knows their version is the best! Growing up in a multicultural family meant knowing very similar, and yet very varied versions of everything, from the cultural traditions, to the music, to the patois, and of course, down to the curry- and what we ate with it! Regardless of the differences, no matter what side of the family I was eating my favourite meal with (or what dishes accompanied it!), it became synonymous with home. Even after moving to London, hundreds of miles away from my family, this is the meal I reach for to stay connected to them.
This recipe is the product of the two beautiful cultures that raised me, and the meal I feed to my loved ones now. I hope you can find the same comfort in this recipe as I have.
Recipe
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients:
4 large chicken legs
2-3 large potatoes
1 large white or yellow onion
4-6 tbsp curry powder (coriander seeds, cumin, fenugreek, black pepper, turmeric, curry leaves)
3 tbsp green seasing (shado beni/culantro, cilantro, scallions, garlic, fresh thyme, stemmed pimento peppers, sweet red pepper, scotch bonnet)
2 limes or lemons
white vinegar
1 garlic head
4-5 scallions
1 bay leaf
300 ml chicken stock
50 ml olive oil
Instructions:
Prepare your chicken; separate drumsticks and thighs, and trim excess fat. Add your chicken into a vinegar and water bath (1:4 ration vinegar) and rub your chicken with sliced lime. Set to the side.
If you haven’t found green seasoning for purchase, you can make yourself; using a food processor or mortar and pestle, combine the ingredients listed above until you have a smooth paste.
Prepare your vegetables; roughly dice the potatoes, and cut the onion into medium slices. Smash 4-5 cloves of garlic, and roughly chop.
Drain your chicken, and add a healthy amount of olive oil. Add 1-2 large pinches of salt. Add in your green seasoning, and 3 tbsp curry powder. Massage these additions to the chicken, and set aside again. Allow this to marinate for at leat 15 minutes.
In a heavy bottomed pot, add a few tablespoons of oil, and turn on medium heat. Add the sliced onions and another 1-2 tablespoons of curry powder, and then add your smashed garlic last. Saute for 2-3 minutes; you should be able to smell the onions, and a thick paste should begin to form. Add another table spoon of olive oil and stir, and then move the onions and garlics to the perimeter of the pan.
Add your marinated chicken to the pan in one layer if possible, and allow to brown (if you cannot fit all of your chicken in one layer, stir occasionally until all pieces have been browned on one side). This should not take more than 4-5 minutes.
After the chicken is browned, flip the pieces. Add in the potatoes.
Add enough chicken stock to cover both the chicken and tomatoes. Bring this to a boil
Optional; add 1/2 of a scotch bonnet pepper.
Cover and lower the heat. Allow to cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve with roti or rice and peas and plantain. Garnish with cilantro, and enjoy!
Tip: If your sauce is too salty, add another potato.
