Oct 30, 20223 min read

TRINI CURRY CHICKEN

Curry Chicken. Savory, mouth-watering, hardy, spicy, mind blowing. All of these words, I could in-arguably use to describe what is one of my favorite dishes to cook, and your new favorite dish to eat! But before I tell you how to prepare it… a little history about where Curry Chicken comes from.

Curry, the spice, has origins in India. A blend of at least 14 different aromatic herbs and spices is what makes curry uniquely different and easily distinguishable from any other flavor in the world. Curry is a household name in America. When the British colonizers took over 500,000 Indian people as indentured servants to the carribean islands, Curry was then introduced to the west. When West Africans were taken as enslaved people to the carribean islands, they brought their agricultural techniques and different plant species, such as plantains, combining to develop what most americans know as carribean food. Their cultures and cuisines were so beautifully fused, and from that, Trini Curry Chicken was born.

I learned this recipe from watching an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown where he traveled to Trinidad & Tobago. He was hosted by a West Indian family where they prepared him fresh Curry Duck in the same way I describe below. Season 9, Episode 7 if you're lucky enough to have access to those pure gems of episodes. My version of it is more of a stew, however, and pairs very well with white rice and fried plantains. In this recipe, I'm going to list a bunch of ingredients to use in your curry, but don’t feel stressed! Only if you have them readily available, should you feel inclined to repeat this recipe exactly the same way. Curry Chicken can be made many different ways, as far as seasonings and techniques. Nevertheless, there are only 3 major steps to this recipe, and I don't think you will find it difficult to put this all together and make some absolutely enchanting Curry Chicken in your own home. Have at it!

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES COOK TIME: 45 MINUTES INGREDIENTS:

2-3 LBS Cut up CHicken legs
3 Tomatoes (of any kind) cut up
3-4 Scallions (Green Onions)
1 Yellow Onion (sliced thin)
1 Habanero or Scotch Bonnet Pepper
(optional) Dried Chillies de Arbol
4-5 Cloves of Garlic
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
Salt and Pepper
2 Tbsp Garam Masala
2 Tbsp Curry
¼ Cup Cooking Oil (Olive Oil is best in this situation)
1 Tbsp Knorr Chicken Bouillon
1 Can (medium sized) of Coconut Milk
½ Bunch of Cilantro to Garnish

PROCEDURE:

Toast your fennel seeds and chillies in a dried pan with no oil over a low heat, moving around occasionally. You can tell they are ready when you can smell them from the pan. They will be very aromatic. Add them to the bowl with your chicken.
Marinate your chicken with all of the ingredients listed above besides Tomatoes, Cilantro, Coconut Milk, and Chicken Bouillon. Make sure that every crevice of your chicken is coated in the mixture with the olive oil. Adding a cooking oil to your marinade helps to seal in the flavors.
Add your marinated curry chicken mixture to a hot pot with a little oil at the bottom. You want to try and let the curry chicken get a pre-cooking, a slight browning on the edges, and THEN you add your tomatoes and the coconut milk.
If you are using a dutch oven like me, now would be a good time to place your oven at 350 F.
After stirring in the coconut milk, you can add a Tbsp of Chicken Bouillon. If you want to cook this completely on the stove, you can simply turn the heat down to a simmer at this point, and continue checking on the pot every 10 min or so for the next hr, just to stir it. When the chicken is Tender and Falling off the bone, your Trinidadian Curry Chicken is ready to serve! ENJOY