Authentic Durban Chicken Curry Recipes

DURBAN CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pan, melt butter with vegetable oil over low heat. Add curry powder, coriander, ground cumin, whole cumin, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon sticks. Cook, stirring frequently until fragrant, about 1 minute. Be careful not to burn the spices.
• Turn heat to medium and add onion, ginger, and garlic. Cook, stirring often until softened, about 3 minutes.
• Turn heat to high and add chicken pieces. Cook, stirring to coat the pieces in the onion and spices very well, about 5 minutes.
• Add chopped tomatoes and tomato puree, and give pot a good stir.
• Throw in diced potatoes, rutabaga, chicken stock, and curry leaves. Let simmer on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt, if necessary. Serve garnished with coriander leaves and rice, if desired.

AUTHENTIC DURBAN CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• Add half teaspoon oil to a heated heavy based pan. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides for a minute or two.
• Lower the heat. Remove the chicken from the pan. Add finely chopped onions. Fry for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add remaining oil. Add ginger and garlic.
• Add powdered spices. Mix. Braise for 2-3 minutes.
• Add half cup water. Mix. Add chopped tomatoes. Mix. Add chicken pieces. Add another cup water. Mix.
• Add potatoes and peas. Add salt. Add remaining water. Cover and allow to cook on medium heat for 25-30 minutes.
• Serve warm with rice and carrot salad.

AUTHENTIC INDIAN CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat oil and cinnamon sticks, cumin seeds, cloves for 1 minute, before they began to get dark add onions.
• Sautee' onions for 1 minute on medium high heat, add chicken tender cubes. Cook that stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes.
• Add rest of the ingredients (saving a small amount of the cilantro for garnish at end).
• Stir and simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes.
• Then serve over rice. (You may add more tomato sauce, or water depending on how chunky you want the curry sauce.).

CURRIED ROAST CHICKEN, DURBAN STYLE

Steps:

• Cut two deep diagonal slits, down to the bone, in each chicken breast and one in each leg and thigh. Place chicken, breast side up, on a sheet of heavy-duty foil large enough to enclose it. Place in a roasting pan.
• Place lemon juice, ginger, garlic, chilies, salt, oil, cumin and coriander in a blender and process to a thick purée. Rub purée over chicken, inside and out, and into slits. Set chicken aside 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Dust chicken with chili powder and black pepper, enclose in foil and crimp to seal. Roast 1 hour.
• Open foil and baste chicken. Return, uncovered, to oven for 15 minutes, basting twice more. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Pour juices from foil into a small dish and serve alongside chicken.

DURBAN CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a non stick fry pan.
• Trim chicken thighs of visible fat and season with the salt, pepper and paprika.
• Brown on both sides in the heated ghee and transfer to a casserole dish that has a tight fitting lid. My favourite is a Le Creuset oval casserole.
• In the same fry pan add the additional 1/2 tablespoon ghee and saute the onions and garlic until soft.
• Add the curry powder and cook further 2 minutes.
• Add lime juice, fresh ginger, crushed tomatoes, coconut milk, sugar, chopped cilantro, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves.
• Pour over chicken - mix so all is coated - cover with lid and bake up to 1 1/2 hours or until chicken is tender.
• SAMBALS are condiments that are served in small dishes as compliments to the curry: 1) Mix together chopped tomatoes and finely chopped onion sprinkled with salt, place in a serving dish and set aside. 2) Sliced bananas. 3) Peach Chutney 4) Lime Pickle 5) Toasted coconut to sprinkle. 6) Papadoms 7) Naan bread.
• LEFT OVERS FOR BREAKFAST: If you have left over gravy - add a couple of halved hard boiled eggs and serve on toast for breakfast the next day!