Are you prepared to find the world’s best curry?? As in, an actual one, comprised of scratch. Introducing – Kuku Paka! This hen curry in a tomato coconut spiced sauce tastes like an Indian curry. Besides it’s African. And you may get every little thing from common grocery shops!
African hen curry – Kuku Paka
Kuku Paka is an African-Indian coconut hen curry that’s well-liked with Indian communities in East African international locations comparable to Kenya and Tanzania. Kuku means hen 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 pleased as a result of it tastes like a legit Indian curry however it’s a lot simpler to make. No searching down uncommon spices! Simply common pantry ones – cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli – mixed with ginger, garlic, coconut milk and canned tomato.
Curry connoisseurs might be doubtful. How can it style legit if you happen to don’t must run throughout city looking for an obscure spice to make it?? Reply: as a result of thousands and thousands of Africans can’t be flawed!
Elements in Kuku Paka – African hen curry
Simply swing by your common grocery retailer and also you’ll discover every little thing you want!
The hen
The sauce will get plenty of flavour from the hen as a result of it doesn’t use hen inventory. So I actually urge you to make use of bone-in, skin-on hen items as they’re fattier and juicier so 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.
Nonetheless, you should utilize boneless thighs and breast, although my caveat is that the sauce received’t be fairly as flavourful. Instructions in recipe notes!
Kuku paka sauce
And right here’s every little thing else you want:
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Spices – Cumin, coriander and turmeric for flavour. Chilli or cayenne pepper for spiciness! It’s not a brilliant spicy curry however if you happen to’re involved concerning the quantity of chilli, scale back or omit then you may add it in on the finish, little by little.
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Onion, ginger and garlic – Fragrant flavour base. I actually urge you to make use of recent ginger and garlic, however if you happen to’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!
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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 might be thinner and never nearly as good coconut flavour. You’ll be able to thicken with a teaspoon of cornflour combined with splash of water, add with coconut.
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Canned tomato – Use crushed or finely diced to make sure it breaks down within the simmer time for this recipe. Additionally, if the model you employ is sort of bitter (economical manufacturers can are usually) add a smidge of sugar.
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Coriander / cilantro – Some for stirring in, some for garnish. When you’re a coriander hater, substitute with child spinach or parsley.
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Recent lemon juice – Only a bit, stirred in on the finish, to brighten up the sauce a bit. When you don’t have lemon readily available, you may substitute with apple cider vinegar.
Methods to make Kuku Paka (African hen curry)
Historically, the hen is char grilled earlier than simmering within the sauce which provides additional flavour. To maintain this Monday-night pleasant, I’ve opted to pan sear. When you fireplace up your grill for the hen, I’ll be impressed!! 🙂
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Season and sear – Sprinkle the hen 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 perfect you may! I brown 3 sides, about 2 minutes on both sides.
The hen will nonetheless be uncooked of the within which is okay as a result of they end cooking within the sauce.
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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!
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Sauce – Add the coconut milk, tomato and salt, then stir.
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Return hen into the pot, together with any juices on the tray. Prepare the hen so it’s submerged as greatest as doable, although if some is poking out that’s okay as it would steam-cook. Additionally, the hen will shrink a bit because it cooks so they are going to match higher.
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Simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on, then 20 minutes with the lid off which can enable the sauce to cut back and thicken. Give it a stir from time to time to make sure the bottom isn’t catching.
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End & serve – Simply earlier than serving, stir within the recent lemon juice and half the coriander leaves. Serve over rice, garnished with the remaining coriander leaves!
Methods to serve Kuku Paka
A sauce this good calls for rice for soaking! Basmati rice is advisable, 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. Selfmade could be nice. However I’ve opted for frozen retailer purchased that’s really Malaysian roti, not African. However that flaky buttery flatbread is 100% at house right here, because it was with the Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup (this roti goes international!)
It too comes from common grocery shops and I really like that it’s cooked from frozen in a pan. And flakes = additional sauce mopping skills.
Roti or not, I actually hope you do that recipe. It’s astoundingly good! – Nagi x
Watch tips on how to make it
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African coconut hen curry – Kuku Paka
Prep: 15 minutes
Prepare dinner: 45 minutes
Complete: 1 hour
Important
african
Servings4 – 6
Faucet or hover to scale
Directions
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Season hen – Pat hen dry utilizing paper towels then sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
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Brown hen – 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 would nonetheless be uncooked inside). Then brown the drumsticks as greatest you may. I do 3 sides, 2 minutes both sides. Switch to the plate.
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Sauté aromatics – Flip warmth all the way 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.
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Sauce – Add coconut milk, tomato and salt. Stir, then return hen into the pot (together with juices on the plate). Submerge hen as greatest you may.
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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 sometimes to make sure the bottom does not catch.
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End & serve – Stir in lemon and half of the coriander. Lade into bowls and serve garnished with the remainder of the coriander!
Recipe Notes:
2. Hen thighs and drumsticks are greatest as a result of they keep juicy within the sauce simmer time required. Boneless thighs and breast will work however sauce flavour received’t be nearly as good (see Elements part in publish), however you should utilize them. Entire 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 go away 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 might be thinner and never nearly as good coconut flavour. You’ll be able to thicken with a teaspoon of cornflour combined with splash of water, add with coconut.
5. Roti – I’m a bit obsessive about retailer purchased frozen rotis, the flaky flatbreads that may be cooked from frozen! Available at common grocery shops lately.
6. Leftovers will hold for 3 to 4 days within the fridge.
Diet per serving, assuming 6 servings, excluding roti, rice and so on.
Diet 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 completed for the day. 😂
