Pomegranate Chicken

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There are many versions of this dish, which has its origins in the Middle East. Increase the cayenne amount to ½ teaspoon for a more fiery dish. Fresh pomegranate juice gives the sauce a rich, fruity flavor.

Ingredients

2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

¼ cup flour

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten


Sauce:

½ cup finely diced onion

1 cup chicken stock

¾ cup pomegranate juice (one large pomegranate)

¼ cup currants

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon fresh mint, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Cornstarch to thicken, 2-3 teaspoons mixed with cold water

Instructions

Rinse the chicken and divide it into four pieces. Flatten the breasts by covering them with plastic wrap and pounding until they are about ½ an inch thick.

Chop the walnuts finely and combine with the flour in a shallow dish, like a pie plate. Put the eggs into a separate dish.

Salt and pepper the chicken breasts, then dip each piece into the beaten egg. Immediately dredge in the walnut/flour mixture, pressing the coating onto the chicken.

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion and sauté until golden. Remove the cooked onions and set aside.

Add the chicken and brown on both sides, about 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and keep it warm. Do not wash the skillet.

Add the chicken stock and pomegranate juice to the skillet, along with the cooked onion, currants and cayenne pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add the mint and cornstarch. When the sauce has thickened slightly, taste and adjust the seasonings.

Pour over the chicken breasts and serve with a side of couscous and cucumber/yogurt salad.

Heat scale: mild to medium

Jerk Chicken with Pineapple-Mango Salsa

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This recipe for jerk sauce is fiery but not incendiary, full of flavor, and worth the effort to make it. There are as many Jamaican recipes for jerk as there are Jamaicans; I settled on this as one the best of the best. Serve with big iced bottles of Jamaican Red Stripe beer. Read more about Jamaica’s Jerk cuisine in the article“Cookin’ Jerk on de Barbacoa, Mon!” By Rick Browne

Ingredients

Chicken

















1/3 cup coarsely chopped shallot

4 green onions, green and white parts, chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup water

Juice of 2 limes

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 to 1 Scotch bonnet chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

3 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons allspice

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon dried thyme

4-6 (4 to 6 oz.) skinless, bone-in chicken breasts

1 cup chopped fresh pineapple

1 cup chopped fresh mango

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 tablespoon minced jalapeño

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In a food processor or blender, combine the shallots, green onions, oil, water, lime juice, soy sauce, Scotch bonnet, garlic, ketchup, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and thyme and process until a smooth paste forms. Set aside.

Wash the chicken breasts and pat dry. Using rubber gloves, cover each breast with the jerk paste. Place the chicken in a re-sealable plastic bag and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours.

Prepare a charcoal or gas barbecue for indirect grilling, placing a drip pan under the cool side of the grill rack.  Preheat to 350 degrees F. Make sure the grill rack is clean, and oil it thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray.

Remove the chicken from the bag and transfer to the prepared grill rack over direct heat. Cook for 5 minutes per side, then move the chicken to the cool side of the grill and cook for 10 to 15 minutes longer per side, until the internal temperature reaches 160˚F. Remove the chicken from the grill and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the salsa by combining the pineapple, mango, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice in a food processor and pulsing 3 or4 times until the ingredients are chopped, but still chunky. Pour into a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Serve each breast topped with a generous portion of salsa.

Chicken and Beef Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

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This recipe, by Chef Abdul Wahab of the Equatorial Penang Hotel in Penang, Malaysia, is a classic Malay dish that combines the heat of chillis with the nutty taste of peanuts and the exotic fragrances of the Spice Islands. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Find more recipes and read about Dave DeWitt’s Singapore trip in the article Singapore Fling By Dave De Witt

Ingredients

The Marinade:

4 large pieces of ginger, peeled

5 cloves garlic, peeled

3 shallots, peeled

1 teaspoon cumin seed

1 teaspoon anise seed

1 tablespoon ground turmeric

3 pieces lemon grass

2 teaspoons sugar

1 pound boneless chicken, cut into strips

The Peanut Sauce:

1/2 cup red chilli paste (or red chillis pureed with water)

1/4 cup peanut oil

5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 3 shallots, peeled and minced

3 pieces lemon grass, minced

3 large pieces ginger, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

4 tablespoons minced cashews 1/4 cup minced peanuts

1 teaspoon tamarind paste (optional)

2 teaspoons sugar

Diced cucumbers and onions for garnish

Instructions

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a food processor and puree, adding a little water if necessary. Marinate the chicken and beef strips in this mixture for 12 hours.

Heat the peanut oil in a pan and add the chilli paste and the next 6 ingredients. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

To Assemble:
Thread the chicken and beef strips on separate satay sticks which have been soaked in water. Grill the satay sticks over coals until the meats are done, about 10 minutes, tuuming often.

Serve the satays with the sauce on the side and garnished with diced cucumbers and onions.

Swimming Chicken Curry

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This recipe and others can be found in the 12-part illustrated series “A World of Curries”. You can read all about this unique Indian flavor here.

 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons peanut oil
4 exotic or Japanese eggplants, peeled and diced
2 small green chiles, such as serrano, seeds and stems removed, chopped
2 onions, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons chopped ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 2-inch piece lemongrass, including the bulb
1 chicken, cut up
1 cup beer (or substitute water)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fish sauce, nam pla, (or substitute light soy sauce)
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

Combine the oils in a wok, heat, and quickly brown the eggplant, stirring often, for about 6 minutes.  Combine the chile, onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and lemongrass in a food processor or blender and puree to a fine paste.  

In a wok the paste in the oil, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, adding a little water if the paste begins to stick to the wok.  Add the chicken pieces, stir to coat with the paste, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the beer, wine, eggplant, and fish sauce, stir, cover, and simmer for another 20 minutes.  Just before serving, stir in the cardamom and cilantro, cover, and let sit for a minute or two.

Vietnamese Chicken Curry

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

This recipe and others can be found in the 12-part illustrated series “A World of Curries”. You can read all about this unique Indian flavor here.

 

Ingredients

1 teaspoon cayenne powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3-pound chicken, boned, and coarsely chopped (1 1/2 to 2 pounds of meat)
1/3 cup peanut or vegetable oil
2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1?inch cubes
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 bay or curry leaves
1 small stalk lemongrass
2 cups coconut milk, recipe here
1 cup carrots, cut 1?inch thick
1 cup milk

Instructions

Combine all the dry spices, sugar, and salt and toss with the chicken. Marinate for 1 hour at room temperature.

In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil for 1 minute over medium heat, and fry the sweet potatoes for about 10 minutes. Remove the sweet potatoes and set aside.

Using the same oil, fry the garlic and onions for 3 minutes over low heat. Add the bay or curry leaves and the lemongrass. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
 
Add the chicken with its marinade, mix well, and cook over high heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the coconut milk, mix well, and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the carrots and milk and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.