Buffet Curried Chicken

Ingredients

• 1.2 kilogram chicken pieces, wings and thighs
• 2.chicken stock, made with 2 cubes per 2 cups water; for parboiling
• 3.4 onions, chopped
• 4.oil, for frying
• 5.3 ml strong Indian curry powder, about ⅔ teaspoon
• 6.20 ml Cartwright's Original Blend curry powder, about 4 teaspoons
• 7.fresh ginger root, chopped
• 8.2 bananas, sliced
• 9.2 green apples, peeled and grated
• 10.3 ml salt, about ½ teaspoon
• 11.3 ml black pepper, about ½ teaspoon
• 12.5 ml sugar, 1 teaspoon
• 13.30 ml apricot jam, 2 tablespoons
• 14.15 ml vinegar, 1 tablespoon
• 15.30 ml lime juice, 2 tablespoons
• 16.425 gram canned tomatoes, seeded; 15 oz tin
• 17.250 ml tomato juice, canned or bottled; 1 cup
• 18.15 ml Cartwright's curry powder, additional 3 teaspoons; added later
• 19.ground cinnamon, a dash
• 20.3 ml ground ginger, about ⅔ teaspoon
• 21.bay leaves, 2–3
• 22.whole allspice, 8–10 berries
• 23.seedless raisins
• 24.30 ml green pepper, chopped; 2 tablespoons
• 25.5 spring onions, chopped
• 26.1 clove garlic, crushed

Method

1. 1.Parboil chicken pieces in sufficient chicken stock to cover. Do not skin. Drain chicken and reserve the stock.
2. 2.Brown the chopped onion in oil. Add the curry powders and fry for a few minutes. Add the ginger root and fry for a few minutes. Add the sliced bananas and the grated apples. Cook until the bananas and apples are soft.
3. 3.Add the salt, pepper, sugar, jam, vinegar and lime juice. Add the cut-up tomatoes and cook until they disintegrate. Add the tomato juice and the additional 15ml curry powder. Add the cinnamon, ginger powder, bayleaves and allspice. Allow to simmer for 10–15 minutes.
4. 4.Add the stock — start with 500ml (2 cups) and add a further 250ml (1 cup) if needed at a later stage. Add the chicken pieces, the seedless raisins, the green pepper, the spring onions and the garlic.
5. 5.IF MAKING AHEAD: Cook for 30 minutes. Complete cooking before serving. IF SERVING IMMEDIATELY: Cook for about 40–50 minutes.
6. 6.TO SERVE: Serve with assorted sambals — chopped cucumber mixed with yoghurt, tomato and onion chopped, chopped pineapple, sliced bananas, chopped hardboiled egg, chutney, and poppadoms (fried in butter and kept in warming oven).
7. 7.Cook ½ cup (125ml) rice per person in chicken stock to which 1 tsp turmeric has been added. Raisins and nuts can be added to the rice just before it is cooked.

Notes

• This curry is best served the following day when all the flavours have been allowed to mingle. It also freezes very well.
• Reheating in a moderate oven (rather than on the stovetop) reduces the chance of the chicken falling apart.
• Cartwright's is a South African curry powder brand. In an earlier scan the name appeared as 'Certwright's' — confirmed here as 'Cartwright's'.