Cari Poule

Ingredients

1.8 kg chicken
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon crushed ginger
1 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped coriander leaves
425 grams finely crushed tomatoes - canned tomatoes recommended
4-5 curry leaves
kaffir lime leaves can also be used
3 tablespoons curry powder
hot or mild depending upon your preference
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot water
Optional: 500 grams shelled green prawns

Method

- Skin chicken, remove fat and cut into serve pieces. Carefully remove any loose bone pieces. Season with salt and pepper to taste. See item 8 if you are eating the chicken curry with faratas.
- Finely chop onion. Optional: Shell prawns and remove dorsal veins. Leave prawns whole but remove heads.
- Put 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a thick bottom saucepan (sufficient in size to contain the chicken pieces) over medium high heat. When oil is hot, add the crushed garlic and ginger, together with the thyme leaves. Stir fry until the onion pieces are cooked and become transparent. Stir in the crushed tomatoes. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the tomatoes are cooked and the sauce is well blended. Add 1/3 cup of hot water if necessary to maintain the sauce in a semi liquid state. Stir sauce at intervals to prevent it from burning.
- Stir in 3 tablespoons of curry powder and 1 tablespoon of coarsely chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the curry powder is cooked and well blended with the tomato sauce. Stir constantly to prevent the curry sauce from burning. The sauce should become creamy and come clean off the saucepan when stirred. Add a little hot water if necessary to maintain sauce in semi liquid state. Mix well.
- Add the chicken pieces and mix in well with the curry sauce. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Stir at intervals to prevent the sauce and chicken from burning. Add 1/2 cup hot water and mix well into sauce. Cover and allow to simmer over low heat for 25-45 minutes or until chicken pieces are cooked. The cooking time will depend upon the chicken meat texture. Check and stir at intervals to prevent curry sauce and chicken pieces from burning. Do not overcook the chicken and stir gently to prevent from crushing the chicken pieces. Add a little hot if necessary to maintain sauce. If you need more sauce add a little hot water. If you want to thicken the sauce remove cover and allow to simmer.
- Optional: If you want to add prawns to your chicken curry, add the shelled and de-veined prawns to the curry when the chicken pieces are just cooked, then simmer for 5 minutes more or until the prawns turn red and are just cooked. Gently mix well together.
- Transfer to a warmed serving dish. Garnish with 1 tablespoon of coarsely chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve on rice with a tomato chutney.
The chicken curry (without the prawns) can also be eaten with faratas.
If you are eating with faratas, de-bone the chicken and cut into bite size pieces. Enjoy.

Source: Madeleine's recipe : Mauritian Chicken Curry

Discover more of Madeleine’s Mauritian cuisine and recipes by following thislink