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African Hen Curry – Kuku Paka

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Are you prepared to find the world’s best curry?? As in, an actual one, constructed from scratch. Introducing – Kuku Paka! This rooster curry in a tomato coconut spiced sauce tastes like an Indian curry. Besides it’s African. And you will get all the things from common grocery shops!

Freshly made pot of Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)

African rooster curry – Kuku Paka

Kuku Paka is an African-Indian coconut rooster curry that’s common with Indian communities in East African nations reminiscent of Kenya and Tanzania. Kuku means rooster in Swahili and Paka means scrumptious in Punjabi. Enjoyable to say. Scrumptious to eat!

This can be a recipe that’s going to make curry lovers extraordinarily completely satisfied as a result of it tastes like a legit Indian curry but it surely’s a lot simpler to make. No looking down uncommon spices! Simply common pantry ones – cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli – mixed with ginger, garlic, coconut milk and canned tomato.

Curry connoisseurs can be doubtful. How can it style legit when you don’t should run throughout city looking for an obscure spice to make it?? Reply: as a result of thousands and thousands of Africans can’t be unsuitable!

Kuku Paka (African chicken curry) for dinner

Elements in Kuku Paka – African rooster curry

Simply swing by your common grocery retailer and also you’ll discover all the things you want!

The rooster

The sauce will get plenty of flavour from the rooster as a result of it doesn’t use rooster inventory. So I actually urge you to make use of bone-in, skin-on rooster items as they’re fattier and juicier in order that they add extra flavour into the sauce. I like to make use of a mixture of thighs and drumsticks, however you can simply use one or the opposite.

Nevertheless, you should utilize boneless thighs and breast, although my caveat is that the sauce gained’t be fairly as flavourful. Instructions in recipe notes!

Ingredients in Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)

Kuku paka sauce

And right here’s all the things else you want:

Ingredients in Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)
  • Spices – Cumin, coriander and turmeric for flavour. Chilli or cayenne pepper for spiciness! It’s not a brilliant spicy curry however when you’re involved concerning the quantity of chilli, scale back or omit then you possibly can add it in on the finish, little by little.

  • Onion, ginger and garlic – Fragrant flavour base. I actually urge you to make use of contemporary ginger and garlic, however when you’re out and you might be decided to nonetheless make this, then substitute with 1 teaspoon of powder as an alternative (add with the opposite spices). I get it, I’ve been there!

  • Coconut milk – Not all coconut milks are created equal! Economical ones are extra water and fewer coconut. I take advantage of Ayam (89% coconut). Low fats coconut milk will work however sauce can be thinner and never pretty much as good coconut flavour. You possibly can thicken with a teaspoon of cornflour combined with splash of water, add with coconut.

  • Canned tomato – Use crushed or finely diced to make sure it breaks down within the simmer time for this recipe. Additionally, if you recognize the model you employ is sort of bitter (economical manufacturers can are typically) add a smidge of sugar.

  • Coriander / cilantro – Some for stirring in, some for garnish. When you’re a coriander hater, substitute with child spinach or parsley.

  • Recent lemon juice – Only a bit, stirred in on the finish, to brighten up the sauce a bit. When you don’t have lemon available, you possibly can substitute with apple cider vinegar.


Methods to make Kuku Paka (African rooster curry)

Historically, the rooster is char grilled earlier than simmering within the sauce which provides further flavour. To maintain this Monday-night pleasant, I’ve opted to pan sear. When you hearth up your grill for the rooster, I’ll be impressed!! 🙂

How to make Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)
  1. Season and sear – Sprinkle the rooster with salt and pepper, sear to brown the pores and skin, then take away onto a tray. The pores and skin aspect of the thighs will take round 4 to five minutes, then simply cook dinner the flesh aspect for 1 minute to seal the floor. As for the drumsticks, simply do the very best you possibly can! I brown 3 sides, about 2 minutes on either side.

    The rooster will nonetheless be uncooked of the within which is okay as a result of they end cooking within the sauce.

  2. Sauté aromatics and spices – Subsequent, give the onion a head begin on the sautéing earlier than including the ginger and garlic. As soon as the onion is softened, add the spices and cook dinner them for 30 seconds. This steps makes the flavour within the spices bloom!

How to make Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)
  1. Sauce – Add the coconut milk, tomato and salt, then stir.

  2. Return rooster into the pot, together with any juices on the tray. Organize the rooster so it’s submerged as finest as attainable, although if some is poking out that’s okay as it is going to steam-cook. Additionally, the rooster will shrink a bit because it cooks so they may match higher.

How to make Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)
  1. Simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on, then 20 minutes with the lid off which is able to permit the sauce to cut back and thicken. Give it a stir now and again to make sure the bottom isn’t catching.

  2. End & serve – Simply earlier than serving, stir within the contemporary lemon juice and half the coriander leaves. Serve over rice, garnished with the remaining coriander leaves!

Pot of Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)
Dunking roti into Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)

Methods to serve Kuku Paka

A sauce this good calls for rice for soaking! Basmati rice is really helpful, although you should utilize any plain rice, fake rice and even garlic rice (IMAGINE THAT!!).

Then to take it excessive, add a aspect of flatbreads for dunking / mopping. Home made can be nice. However I’ve opted for frozen retailer purchased that’s truly Malaysian roti, not African. However that flaky buttery flatbread is 100% at dwelling right here, because it was with the Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup (this roti goes international!)

It too comes from common grocery shops and I like that it’s cooked from frozen in a pan. And flakes = further sauce mopping skills.

Roti or not, I actually hope you do this recipe. It’s astoundingly good! – Nagi x


Watch methods to make it

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Freshly made pot of Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)

African coconut rooster curry – Kuku Paka

Servings4 – 6

Faucet or hover to scale

Recipe video above. Are you prepared to find the world’s best curry?? As in, an actual one, constructed from scratch. Introducing – Kuku Paka! This rooster curry in a tomato coconut spiced sauce tastes like an Indian curry. Besides it is African, and you will get all the things you want out of your common grocery retailer. For a strictly conventional model, sear the rooster over charcoal for chargrilled flavour earlier than including into the sauce. To make this Monday-night-friendly, I’ve simply pan-seared. Serves 4 hearty appetites or 5 to six common servings.

Directions

  • Season rooster – Pat rooster dry utilizing paper towels then sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

  • Brown rooster – Warmth oil in a big heavy based mostly pot over excessive warmth. Add the thighs, skin-side down, and cook dinner for 4-5 minutes till golden brown. Flip and cook dinner the opposite aspect for 1 minute. Switch to a plate (it is going to nonetheless be uncooked inside). Then brown the drumsticks as finest you possibly can. I do 3 sides, 2 minutes either side. Switch to the plate.

  • Sauté aromatics – Flip warmth right down to medium excessive. Add the onion and cook dinner for 1 minute till softened. Add garlic and ginger, cook dinner for 30 seconds. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and chilli. Stir for 30 seconds.

  • Sauce – Add coconut milk, tomato and salt. Stir, then return rooster into the pot (together with juices on the plate). Submerge rooster as finest you possibly can.

  • Simmer 30 min – As soon as the sauce involves a simmer, scale back the warmth so it’s effervescent gently. Cowl and cook dinner for 10 minutes. Take away the lid and simmer for an extra 20 minutes, stirring often to make sure the bottom does not catch.

  • End & serve – Stir in lemon and half of the coriander. Lade into bowls and serve garnished with the remainder of the coriander!

Recipe Notes:

1. Coconut oil will give this further coconut flavour, however you should utilize common oil.
2. Hen thighs and drumsticks are finest as a result of they keep juicy within the sauce simmer time required. Boneless thighs and breast will work however sauce flavour gained’t be pretty much as good (see Elements part in submit), however you should utilize them. Complete boneless thighs – sear per recipe then add again in for final 10 min of sauce simmer time. Breast – lower into chew dimension items, simmer solely 5 min.
3. Pure chilli powder – to not be confused with US chili powder which is a spice combine. Pure chilli powder is spicy!
Management spiciness – simply depart the cayenne / chilli out and stir in little by little on the finish.

4. Coconut milk – Not all coconut milks are created equal! Economical ones are extra water and fewer coconut. I take advantage of Ayam (89% coconut). Low fats coconut milk will work however sauce can be thinner and never pretty much as good coconut flavour. You possibly can thicken with a teaspoon of cornflour combined with splash of water, add with coconut.
5. Roti – I’m just a little obsessive about retailer purchased frozen rotis, the flaky flatbreads that may be cooked from frozen! Available at common grocery shops lately.
6. Leftovers will maintain for 3 to 4 days within the fridge.
Vitamin per serving, assuming 6 servings, excluding roti, rice and many others.

Vitamin Info:

Energy: 631cal (32%)Carbohydrates: 12g (4%)Protein: 38g (76%)Fats: 49g (75%)Saturated Fats: 25g (156%)Polyunsaturated Fats: 7gMonounsaturated Fats: 13gTrans Fats: 0.1gLdl cholesterol: 200mg (67%)Sodium: 1062mg (46%)Potassium: 963mg (28%)Fiber: 3g (13%)Sugar: 4g (4%)Vitamin A: 1624IU (32%)Vitamin C: 16mg (19%)Calcium: 87mg (9%)Iron: 6mg (33%)

For fellow curry lovers


Lifetime of Dozer

Excessive heat climate over the weekend! So Dozer spent most of Sunday afternoon on this place:

Then he rotated and that was it, he was performed for the day. 😂



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