Best Chicken Congee With Turmeric And Cumin Recipes

TURMERIC AND CUMIN CHICKEN WITH CHILES, CINNAMON ORANGES AND OLIVE-CHICKPEA COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Put the chicken wings in a small pot. Cover with water and sprinkle with salt. Simmer gently for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the remaining chicken pieces with the juice of the lime, the juice of 1 orange and half the garlic. Sprinkle liberally with sea salt and toss to coat. Cover and marinate at room temperature for at least 45 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• Heat the EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turmeric and cumin seeds and stir for a minute to toast the spices. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and chile peppers, and cook for a minute or 2 more. Add the chicken and turn to coat it with the spiced oil, then cook until the chicken is lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
• Slice the remaining orange and add it to the pan along with the olives. Cook until heated through. Remove the chicken wings from the poaching liquid, and add 1 cup of the liquid to the pan. Partially cover and simmer for 20 more minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks. (If you aren't serving the chicken immediately, cool and then store it in the refrigerator. Store any leftover poaching liquid separately. Reheat the chicken over medium heat and prepare the couscous before serving.)
• Combine 1 1/2 cups reserved poaching liquid, the butter, chickpeas and cilantro in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then stir in the couscous. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Serve the couscous with the chicken.

CUMIN-SCENTED CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• Pull the skin off the chicken using kitchen paper to get a good grip. Set the chicken aside. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat - a wok is great for this. Fry the cumin seeds for just a few secs until they give off a lovely nutty aroma, then tip in the onions and turn the heat down low. Cook with the lid on until the onions are soft and squidgy, but not yet starting to colour - 10 mins.
• Scatter in the ginger, garlic and chillies and fry for a minute or so, then sprinkle in the turmeric, garam masala and paprika. Stir in the chicken and peppers and continue frying for about 10 mins until the spice mixture clings to the chicken and the onions turn russet brown. Add a splash of water if they start to catch on the bottom of the pan.
• Stir the tomato purée into the yogurt, turn down the heat a fraction and swirl the yogurt into the pan followed by 125ml/4fl oz cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook gently without a lid for about 30-35 mins until the chicken is tender, stirring in a little more water if the sauce becomes dry - it should thicken and take on a warm reddish tinge. Add salt if you want to. (Will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.) Reheat in a covered casserole in the oven at 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 for 20-30 mins or until bubbling (you may need to stir in a splash of water if the sauce is too thick). Scatter over coriander before serving.

CRISPY CHICKEN OVER TURMERIC-LEMON CABBAGE AND PEAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix cumin seeds, garlic powder, coriander, turmeric, and 1 tsp. salt in a small bowl.
• Arrange chicken thighs on a plate and pat dry with paper towels. Season generously with spice mixture on both sides. You won't need all of it; set leftover spice mixture aside for adding to cabbage later.
• Working in 2 batches if needed, arrange chicken thighs, skin side down, in a cold large cast-iron skillet and set over medium-low heat. Cook, undisturbed, until skin underneath is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium and cook until skin is deep golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn chicken over and cook 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium-low if cooking chicken in batches.
• If skillet seems dry, add oil, then cook onion and garlic over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in reserved spice mixture and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add half of cabbage and stir to combine. Let cook 1 minute to wilt slightly, then add remaining cabbage and 1 tsp. salt and stir again to combine. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Add ½ cup water and cover (a baking sheet works great if you don't have a lid). Cook cabbage 10 minutes.
• Arrange chicken, skin side up, on top of cabbage, then wedge lemon slices evenly between thighs. Transfer to oven and bake until cabbage is tender and chicken is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh should register 165°F), 22-25 minutes. Remove from oven.
• Scatter peas over chicken. Return skillet to oven and bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven and scatter cilantro over to serve.