Cape Malay Chicken Curry
African, Poultry
Ingredients
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and patted dry
2 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
1 4-ounce chunk fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 5 pieces
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 serrano chilies, stemmed and halved lengthwise
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
1 pound yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons lemon juice (1 lemon), plus lemon wedges, to serve
½ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, torn
cooked basmati or jasmine rice, to serve
Directions
In a bowl, mix the fennel, cumin, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and the turmeric.
Use 1 tablespoon of the mixture to season the chicken.
In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the oil until just smoking.
Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in the ginger, garlic and chilies, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in the broth, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and remaining spice mixture, then submerge the chicken thighs.
Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 25 minutes, adjusting the heat to maintain a steady but gentle simmer.
Stir in the potatoes, cover and return to a simmer. Cook until the the chicken and potatoes are tender, another 12 to 15 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a large plate. Remove and discard the ginger, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and chili halves, then continue to simmer over medium until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, using two forks, pull the chicken into bite-size pieces, then return to the pot and stir to combine, taking care not to break up the potatoes.
Stir in the lemon juice, then taste and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with mint.
Serve with rice and lemon wedges.