South African Curry Chicken

Mr. Foodie's birthday was about a month ago. To celebrate, I took him to dinner at one of his favorite restaurants in Atlanta, 10 Degrees South. I actually took him there for his birthday a few years ago and sadly to say, I don't think he had been back since, yet he praises their food all the time. All my girlfriends were telling me I should make him this romantic dinner, but I figure "hey, I cook every other day, taking him out is not just a treat for him but for me as well."

So 10 Degrees South it was. The cuisine at the restaurant is South African. Prior to going to this restaurant, I had never had South African food but boy is it good. The spices and seasonings used in the dishes are delicious. Although the menu is diverse, there are a lot of red meat options. Of course, I didn't mind because I have no restrictions on what I eat (my motto is everything in moderation). Mr. Foodie on the other hand does not eat pork or red meat. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own food preferences but sometimes I swear he is missing out. But if he ever cut chicken from his diet, we'd be in some big trouble.

I digress. All that to say he ordered the curry chicken and it was excellent (sorry for the not so great picture below but it gives you an idea). My fork quickly made friends with his plate so I was able to taste all the great flavor. It was not too spicy, with a hint of sweetness from the sliced bananas on top. Needless to say, there was nothing left on his plate at the end of the meal.

Which leads me to this post. A couple of weeks later, I wanted to try and recreate the dish. I knew it called for additional spices, some different than regular chicken curry, so I searched the Internet and found something that seemed very similar to the spices I'd tasted. I even topped the dish with sliced bananas and Voila! a very close runner up to the curry chicken at 10 Degrees South.

Now I don't think the pictures do the dish much justice but trust me, if you like curry and you like chicken, you'll love this dish. And it is very easy to create. This can also be made with lamb...for those households that serve meat!


South African Curry

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons curry powder
½ teaspoon ground cloves
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast and thighs (preseason with salt and pepper)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, diced
2 white potatoes, diced
1 small can tomato paste
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 cups chicken stock
½ cup plain yogurt or buttermilk

Toppings, optional:
1 banana, sliced (highly recommended)
1 tomato, diced

Over medium-high, heat olive oil in a large pan. Add onions and garlic. Cook until onions become translucent, 5 minutes, stirring continuously.

Add ginger, tumeric, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, curry powder and cloves. Cook for two minutes, stirring continuously

Reduce heat slightly and add chicken pieces to brown on all sides. You may need to push the onions to the edge of the pan to make sure the all the chicken is browned.

Add the remaining ingredients, except the yogurt/buttermilk. Cover and reduce heat to low. Stir occasionally until the chicken and potatoes are cooked through, 45 min. – 1 hour.

When the dish is done, stir in the yogurt/buttermilk, just before serving.

Top with desired toppings (please add the banana) and serve with rice

adapted by congocookbook.com