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Chicken in a Coconut Sauce (Kukupaka)

by Madhur Jaffrey from Madhur Jaffrey’s Curry Nation

Serves 2

A creamy East African-inspired coconut chicken curry recipe with a kick of green and red chillies. This spicy dish, which uses whole chicken legs, is finished with a squeeze of lime.

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Introduction

This is a mixed dish. ‘Kuku’ means chicken and ‘paka’ is coconut. Serve it with rice and vegetables.

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Ingredients

For the marinade:
1 tspfinely chopped hot green chilli
1 tsppeeled, finely chopped root ginger
1 tspfinely grated or crushed garlic
¼ tspsalt
For the rest:
2whole chicken legs, skinned, scored 3 or 4 times across both thigh and drumstick
3 tbspolive or sunflower oil, plus more for the chicken
6 tbspvery finely chopped red onion
1½ tspcrushed or finely grated garlic
1½ tsppeeled, finely grated root ginger
1 tspfinely chopped hot green chilli
1medium tomato, finely chopped
¼ tspground cumin
¾ tspground coriander
½ tspturmeric
¼ tspchilli powder
¼ tspsalt, or a bit more, to taste
250mlcoconut milk, from a well-shaken can
1lime, cut into 4, to serve
A few coriander leaves, to serve

Method

Mix all the marinade ingredients together and rub well into and over the chicken legs in a non-reactive container, making sure to go into the slits. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Lightly brush the chicken with oil, then place on a baking tray. Slide the tray into the middle of the oven and cook for 30–40 minutes, or until done. (Pierce the thickest thigh to check: the juices should run clear with no trace of pink. Cook for a little longer if needed.) Remove from the oven and rest for five minutes.

Meanwhile, put the 3 tablespoons of oil into a medium-sized frying pan, about 20 centimetres (8 inches) in diameter, and set it over a medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, frying for about five minutes or until the pieces brown at the edges. Add the garlic, ginger and green chilli. Stir for a minute. Add the tomato and cook until soft, about three minutes. Add the ground cumin and coriander, the turmeric, chilli powder and salt, stirring all the while. Mix in the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Cook rapidly over a medium-high heat, stirring, until the sauce thickens a bit. Place the chicken in the sauce to heat through, spooning the sauce over it. Remove from the heat. Take the chicken pieces out, put them on a warmed serving plate and pour the sauce over the top. Serve with the lime wedges and garnish with the coriander.

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Ingredients
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