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Recipe Detail Page
African Style Chicken Pumpkin Curry
Autumn 2010
Groundnuts or, as we call them, peanuts area characteristic ingredient in African curries. They add protein, flavour and body to the sauce and a nice crunch as garnish. Using bone-in chicken pieces adds extra flavour to the curry and fits with its rustic nature. If you prefer to use boneless chicken, cut it into large chunks and add the pumpkin at the same time, reducing the simmering to 25 to 30 minutes total.This version is moderately spicy, so if you want a bolder flavoured curry, add an extra 1½ tsp (7 mL) curry powder and another ¼ tsp (1 mL) hot pepper flakes. It’s traditional to leave the whole spices in when serving, but do warn your guests so they don’t bite into a whole clove unexpectedly. Serve over steaming hot rice or couscous to soak up the luscious sauce.
Serves 6
12 skinless bone-in chicken thighs or 6 breasts
2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetable oil
2 cinnamon sticks, each about 3 inches (8 cm) long
1 tbsp (15 mL) mustard seeds
½ tsp (2 mL) whole cloves
2 large onions, chopped
2 tbsp (25 mL) minced ginger root
2 tbsp (25 mL) curry powder
½ tsp (2 mL) dried thyme
½ tsp (2 mL) hot pepper flakes
Salt
3 cups (750 mL) chicken stock
½ cup (125 mL) roasted salted peanuts,
finely chopped
1 large pie pumpkin or butternut squash,
peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks,
about 6 cups (1.5 L)
Juice of 1 lime
1. Trim any excess fat from chicken. If using breasts, cut each in half crosswise to make pieces similar in size to thighs. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add cinnamon, mustard seeds and cloves and sauté for 1 minute or until toasted and fragrant. Add onions and sauté for about 7 minutes until starting to brown. Add ginger, curry powder, thyme, hot pepper flakes and ½ tsp (2 mL) salt and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Add chicken and stir to coat with spices.Add stock and ⅓ cup (75 mL) of the peanuts; bring to a simmer, scraping up bits stuck to pot. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in pumpkin, cover and simmer, stirring and turning chicken pieces occasionally, for about 30 minutes or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced and pumpkin is tender.Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and pumpkin to a warmed serving dish and keep warm, leaving about 10 pieces of pumpkin in the sauce.
5. Increase heat to high and boil sauce, stirring often and mashing pumpkin to add body, for about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.Discard cloves and cinnamon sticks, if desired. Stir in lime juice and season to taste with salt. Pour sauce over chicken and pumpkin and sprinkle with remaining peanuts.
Serves 6
