Are you prepared to find the world’s best curry?? As in, an actual one, comprised of scratch. Introducing – Kuku Paka! This rooster curry in a tomato coconut spiced sauce tastes like an Indian curry. Besides it’s African. And you will get every thing from common grocery shops!
African rooster curry – Kuku Paka
Kuku Paka is an African-Indian coconut rooster curry that’s common with Indian communities in East African nations akin to Kenya and Tanzania. Kuku means rooster in Swahili and Paka means scrumptious in Punjabi. Enjoyable to say. Scrumptious to eat!
This can be a recipe that’s going to make curry lovers extraordinarily comfortable as a result of it tastes like a legit Indian curry but it surely’s a lot simpler to make. No looking down uncommon spices! Simply common pantry ones – cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli – mixed with ginger, garlic, coconut milk and canned tomato.
Curry connoisseurs will likely be doubtful. How can it style legit for those who don’t should run throughout city looking for an obscure spice to make it?? Reply: as a result of hundreds of thousands of Africans can’t be flawed!
Components in Kuku Paka – African rooster curry
Simply swing by your common grocery retailer and also you’ll discover every thing you want!
The rooster
The sauce will get plenty of flavour from the rooster as a result of it doesn’t use rooster inventory. So I actually urge you to make use of bone-in, skin-on rooster items as they’re fattier and juicier in order that they add extra flavour into the sauce. I like to make use of a mixture of thighs and drumsticks, however you possibly can simply use one or the opposite.
Nevertheless, you need to use boneless thighs and breast, although my caveat is that the sauce gained’t be fairly as flavourful. Instructions in recipe notes!
Kuku paka sauce
And right here’s every thing else you want:
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Spices – Cumin, coriander and turmeric for flavour. Chilli or cayenne pepper for spiciness! It’s not an excellent spicy curry however for those who’re involved concerning the quantity of chilli, scale back or omit then you possibly can add it in on the finish, little by little.
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Onion, ginger and garlic – Fragrant flavour base. I actually urge you to make use of recent ginger and garlic, however for those who’re out and you might be decided to nonetheless make this, then substitute with 1 teaspoon of powder as a substitute (add with the opposite spices). I get it, I’ve been there!
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Coconut milk – Not all coconut milks are created equal! Economical ones are extra water and fewer coconut. I exploit Ayam (89% coconut). Low fats coconut milk will work however sauce will likely be thinner and never pretty much as good coconut flavour. You possibly can thicken with a teaspoon of cornflour blended with splash of water, add with coconut.
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Canned tomato – Use crushed or finely diced to make sure it breaks down within the simmer time for this recipe. Additionally, if you realize the model you utilize is kind of bitter (economical manufacturers can are usually) add a smidge of sugar.
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Coriander / cilantro – Some for stirring in, some for garnish. If you happen to’re a coriander hater, substitute with child spinach or parsley.
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Recent lemon juice – Only a bit, stirred in on the finish, to brighten up the sauce a bit. If you happen to don’t have lemon readily available, you possibly can substitute with apple cider vinegar.
How one can make Kuku Paka (African rooster curry)
Historically, the rooster is char grilled earlier than simmering within the sauce which provides additional flavour. To maintain this Monday-night pleasant, I’ve opted to pan sear. If you happen to fireplace up your grill for the rooster, I’ll be impressed!! 🙂
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Season and sear – Sprinkle the rooster with salt and pepper, sear to brown the pores and skin, then take away onto a tray. The pores and skin aspect of the thighs will take round 4 to five minutes, then simply prepare dinner the flesh aspect for 1 minute to seal the floor. As for the drumsticks, simply do the very best you possibly can! I brown 3 sides, about 2 minutes on both sides.
The rooster will nonetheless be uncooked of the within which is okay as a result of they end cooking within the sauce.
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Sauté aromatics and spices – Subsequent, give the onion a head begin on the sautéing earlier than including the ginger and garlic. As soon as the onion is softened, add the spices and prepare dinner them for 30 seconds. This steps makes the flavour within the spices bloom!
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Sauce – Add the coconut milk, tomato and salt, then stir.
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Return rooster into the pot, together with any juices on the tray. Organize the rooster so it’s submerged as greatest as potential, although if some is poking out that’s okay as it would steam-cook. Additionally, the rooster will shrink a bit because it cooks so they’ll match higher.
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Simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on, then 20 minutes with the lid off which is able to permit the sauce to scale back and thicken. Give it a stir every so often to make sure the bottom isn’t catching.
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End & serve – Simply earlier than serving, stir within the recent lemon juice and half the coriander leaves. Serve over rice, garnished with the remaining coriander leaves!
How one can serve Kuku Paka
A sauce this good calls for rice for soaking! Basmati rice is beneficial, although you need to use any plain rice, fake rice and even garlic rice (IMAGINE THAT!!).
Then to take it excessive, add a aspect of flatbreads for dunking / mopping. Do-it-yourself could be nice. However I’ve opted for frozen retailer purchased that’s truly Malaysian roti, not African. However that flaky buttery flatbread is 100% at house right here, because it was with the Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup (this roti goes world!)
It too comes from common grocery shops and I really like that it’s cooked from frozen in a pan. And flakes = additional sauce mopping skills.
Roti or not, I actually hope you do that recipe. It’s astoundingly good! – Nagi x
Watch find out how to make it
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African coconut rooster curry – Kuku Paka
Prep: 15 minutes
Prepare dinner: 45 minutes
Complete: 1 hour
Predominant
african
Servings4 – 6
Faucet or hover to scale
Directions
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Season rooster – Pat rooster dry utilizing paper towels then sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
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Brown rooster – Warmth oil in a big heavy based mostly pot over excessive warmth. Add the thighs, skin-side down, and prepare dinner for 4-5 minutes till golden brown. Flip and prepare dinner the opposite aspect for 1 minute. Switch to a plate (it would nonetheless be uncooked inside). Then brown the drumsticks as greatest you possibly can. I do 3 sides, 2 minutes both sides. Switch to the plate.
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Sauté aromatics – Flip warmth all the way down to medium excessive. Add the onion and prepare dinner for 1 minute till softened. Add garlic and ginger, prepare dinner for 30 seconds. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and chilli. Stir for 30 seconds.
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Sauce – Add coconut milk, tomato and salt. Stir, then return rooster into the pot (together with juices on the plate). Submerge rooster as greatest you possibly can.
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Simmer 30 min – As soon as the sauce involves a simmer, scale back the warmth so it’s effervescent gently. Cowl and prepare dinner for 10 minutes. Take away the lid and simmer for an additional 20 minutes, stirring sometimes to make sure the bottom does not catch.
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End & serve – Stir in lemon and half of the coriander. Lade into bowls and serve garnished with the remainder of the coriander!
Recipe Notes:
2. Rooster thighs and drumsticks are greatest as a result of they keep juicy within the sauce simmer time required. Boneless thighs and breast will work however sauce flavour gained’t be pretty much as good (see Components part in publish), however you need to use them. Entire boneless thighs – sear per recipe then add again in for final 10 min of sauce simmer time. Breast – lower into chunk dimension items, simmer solely 5 min.
3. Pure chilli powder – to not be confused with US chili powder which is a spice combine. Pure chilli powder is spicy!
Management spiciness – simply go away the cayenne / chilli out and stir in little by little on the finish.
4. Coconut milk – Not all coconut milks are created equal! Economical ones are extra water and fewer coconut. I exploit Ayam (89% coconut). Low fats coconut milk will work however sauce will likely be thinner and never pretty much as good coconut flavour. You possibly can thicken with a teaspoon of cornflour blended with splash of water, add with coconut.
5. Roti – I’m slightly obsessive about retailer purchased frozen rotis, the flaky flatbreads that may be cooked from frozen! Available at common grocery shops as of late.
6. Leftovers will maintain for 3 to 4 days within the fridge.
Diet per serving, assuming 6 servings, excluding roti, rice and so forth.
Diet Data:
Energy: 631cal (32%)Carbohydrates: 12g (4%)Protein: 38g (76%)Fats: 49g (75%)Saturated Fats: 25g (156%)Polyunsaturated Fats: 7gMonounsaturated Fats: 13gTrans Fats: 0.1gLdl cholesterol: 200mg (67%)Sodium: 1062mg (46%)Potassium: 963mg (28%)Fiber: 3g (13%)Sugar: 4g (4%)Vitamin A: 1624IU (32%)Vitamin C: 16mg (19%)Calcium: 87mg (9%)Iron: 6mg (33%)
For fellow curry lovers
Lifetime of Dozer
Excessive heat climate over the weekend! So Dozer spent most of Sunday afternoon on this place:
Then he circled and that was it, he was carried out for the day. 😂
