Best Curried Chicken With Chickpeas Trinidad Recipes

INDRA'S (MUMMY) TRINIDAD CURRY CHICKEN RECIPE

Steps:

• Make Green Seasoning: In a food processor or blender(or chop COARSELY by hand), mince scallion, cilantro/culantro, thyme, garlic and onion(not the reserved slices) and peppers. (You may choose not to add the onion to the blender but keep it sliced). Set aside 1 tablespoon of the Green Seasoning for the curry paste below.
• Prepare Chicken: Wash chicken with lemon juice, removing excess fat. Drain well. Season chicken with salt, pepper and the remainder of the Green Seasoning. Allow it to marinate for several hours or overnight(OPTIONAL).
• Make Curry Paste: In a small bowl, add 3-4 tablespoons curry powder, 4 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon of the reserved Green Seasoning. Mix well. Set aside.
• In a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium heat, heat oil, add the reserved pieces of onions and pepper and cook until golden brown. Add curry mixture and cook until grainy and curry separates from the oil, stirring constantly and scraping bottom of pot to prevent it from sticking and burning, 3-5 minutes.
• Add seasoned chicken to pot. Stir to mix well. Add cumin, salt and pepper if you haven't already. If using potatoes, add now.
• Cover the pot and cook on medium heat until the meat has relinquished its juices and subsequently evaporates about 15-20 minutes, gently stirring every 5-7 minutes or so in a basting motion (pouring the pan juices over the chicken).
• When the liquid has evaporated, continue to stir fry for a few seconds(or up to 2 mins) allowing the flavors to develop and scraping the bottom of the pot with the spoon to prevent it from burning. Then add 2 cups of water.
• Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium, cover pot and cook until sauce has thickened about 5-10 minutes.
• Taste test for salt and add more if required. Enjoy with roti or rice.

DAD'S CURRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and toss with the lime juice. Drain, rinse the chicken with cold water, and drain again. Remove the chicken from the bowl and pat dry with paper towels.
• Place the chicken in another bowl with the Green Seasoning, salt, chili pepper, and garlic. Toss well to coat and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes but ideally overnight.
• Combine the curry powder with just enough water to form a thick paste. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add the curry paste and onion. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes over medium-low heat-do not allow the curry to scorch. Add the chicken pieces and stir well to coat. Add the stock or water, cover, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
• Remove the lid and simmer for 5 minutes more over medium-high heat, until the sauce reduces by one-third. Serve with roti or white rice.

CHICKEN-CHICKPEA CURRY

Steps:

• Pulse 3 chopped tomatoes, the shallots, ginger, jalapeno, curry powder and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor until smooth. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the tomato mixture and cook, stirring often, until darkened and paste-like, 10 to 12 minutes (add water as needed if the mixture is sticking).
• Add 2 1/2 cups water to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens slightly, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Stir in the chicken, okra and cilantro. Cook, stirring gently, until the okra is crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Divide among bowls and top with yogurt, more cilantro and the remaining chopped tomato. Serve with naan.

DOUBLES

Steps:

• For the bara (or flatbread): Put the sugar and yeast in a medium bowl. Stir in the warm water and let it sit until bubbles begin to form, about 5 minutes.
• Stir to combine the flour, salt, cumin, black pepper and turmeric in a medium bowl. Add the water and yeast mixture to the flour and knead, using your hands or a mixer with a dough hook attachment, until the dough is smooth and glossy, about 2 1/2 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl. Spray the dough and place plastic wrap directly on top of the dough, then add plastic wrap to the top of the bowl as well. Let the dough sit in a warm draft-free place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a large Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet. Turn the dough out onto a flour-dusted work surface. Working one at a time and keeping the unused portions covered, flatten a small ball of dough with a rolling pin to the thickness of 2 tortillas, about 4 inches.
• Working in batches, fry the flattened dough until puffed and golden, about 45 seconds per side. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Transfer the baras to a plate and cover with plastic wrap to steam and keep warm.
• For the chickpeas: Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over low heat. Saute the onion, garlic, minced chile and a large pinch of kosher salt, about 10 minutes. Add the curry powder, allspice, cumin, nutmeg, paprika, black pepper, cayenne, bouillon cube, chickpeas and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until all the liquid has reduced, about 1 hour. Right before serving, season with salt and lime juice to taste.
• For the tamarind sauce: Add the sugar, tamarind paste and 1 cup water to a small pot over low heat. Warm until the tamarind paste has dissolved into the water, about 5 minutes. Remove and cool.
• For the pepper sauce: Put the habaneros, garlic, white balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt in a blender and puree until smooth.
• For the cilantro sauce: Add the cilantro, white balsamic vinegar, and salt to a blender and puree until smooth.
• For the garnish: Toss the cucumber and cilantro in a bowl with a pinch of salt.
• To assemble: Place two baras slightly overlapping on a plate, then top with 2 to 3 spoons of chickpeas. Top with a little tamarind sauce, pepper sauce, cilantro sauce and grated cucumber and cilantro.

TRINI CHANA AND ALOO

Steps:

• In a medium Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, add water to cover the chickpeas by 2 inches, and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming the foam, then lower to a simmer. Simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, until chickpeas are tender; drain, keeping the cooking water. (I like to use it later in the recipe; it's also a nice base for soups.)
• Meanwhile, purée the culantro and 1/3 cup water in a blender until smooth. Add a pinch of salt, the garlic and the chile. (Half a deseeded habanero will make the dish gently but noticeably hot. Adjust from there.) Blend until smooth. Stir the herb purée into the hot, drained chickpeas.
• Rinse and dry the pot. Peel the potato, and cut it into 3/4-inch chunks. In the pot, heat the oil over medium heat, add the curry powder and turmeric and stir, until very aromatic and just starting to darken. Carefully add the potatoes and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring, until you get a little sticking on the bottom of the pot, 3 to 5 minutes. Add a little water to scrape up the stuck parts, then add water to cover by 1/2 inch. (I use the chickpea cooking water, but Dolly Sirju prefers fresh water.) Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt.
• Bring the pot to a vigorous simmer, shy of a full boil, and cook until the potatoes are tender and the chickpeas are soft, about 30 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Chop some more culantro. Serve the curry with long grain white rice or roti, and garnish with chopped culantro.

CURRIED CHICKEN WITH CHICKPEAS (TRINIDAD)

Steps:

• Place 2 tablespoons of the butter, plus the garlic, ginger and onion in a deep skillet. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat.
• Add the curry powder, cumin and thyme and saute for another minute.
• Add the potatoes, water, red hot sauce and salt and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft but not mushy.
• Add the chickpeas and cook another 5 to 10 minutes.
• In a separate skillet, saute 2 tablespoons of the remaining butter and the chicken over medium heat for 5 to 7 minute, or until the chicken is white in the center.
• Add the vegetable curry mixture and bring to a simmer.
• Serve hot over rice.

CURRIED CHICKEN (TRINIDAD STYLE)

Steps:

• Cut chicken into small pieces and season with garlic, green seasoning, salt and hot pepper.
• Marinate for 30 minutes or more.
• Heat oil in an iron pot or skillet.
• Mix curry powder with 1/4 cup of water until smooth; add to hot oil and cook 2 minutes.
• Add chicken and stir to coat in curry; cook until all water dries out; stir well (about 10 mins).
• Add tomatoes and onion; cook for a minute; stir in 1/2 cup hot water.
• Lower heat to medium; cover and cook until meat is tender; add more water if more sauce is necessary.
• Adjust salt and hot pepper.

CURRY CHICKEN BREASTS WITH CHICKPEAS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Place flour on a plate. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then lightly dredge in flour until coated.
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add 2 chicken cutlets and cook until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plates. Repeat with 1 tablespoon oil and remaining cutlets, transferring cutlets to plates.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet, then curry powder and chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until chickpeas are golden and starting to pop, about 3 minutes. Add butter, lime juice and spinach and stir just until spinach starts to wilt, about 30 seconds. Spoon chickpea mixture over chicken and top with cilantro, if using. Serve with lime wedges.