This dish, also called Kuku Paka, is an Indian East African curry. Both my parents grew up in East Africa, but like all regional dishes recipes vary from family to family.
This dish can be made vegetarian or vegan by substituting canned chickpeas for the chicken (add in after potatoes are cooked through) and/or omitting the eggs.
Ingredients
1 can coconut milk (unsweetened, full fat – I like Arroy-D or Chaokoh as a lot of other brands tend to be really watery.)
1 Ib chicken cut up (I prefer dark meat. You can use boneless skinless meat cut into bite size pieces or bone-in legs and thighs.)
2-3 medium sized potatoes cut into pieces
5 boiled eggs (I do them more more jammy between hard and soft boiled as they continue to cook in the sauce, but my mom adds hardboiled eggs.)
½ t. Turmeric
1 t salt
1 Tbsp. garlic ginger paste (equal parts fresh ginger and garlic pounded into a paste)
1 Tbsp. chili cilantro paste- optional (whole bunch of cilantro blended with green chilis, lime juice and salt)
1 Tbsp. curry paste (My mom sometimes makes her own, but most of the time uses Patak’s. If you cannot find Patak’s curry paste, I would recommend 1 teaspoon each of cumin, and coriander, plus half a teaspoon each of turmeric and Kashmiri chili powder or cayenne [or paprika if you cannot handle heat].)
oil
2-3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro (for garnish)
lime wedges (for garnish)
Directions
Add a little bit of oil to the pan and add in the turmeric and curry paste (or spices). Cook until fragrant (less than 30 seconds). Add in can of coconut milk. Be sure to shake the can well. Bring to a simmer. Keep the can and pour in enough water to come up about halfway up the can. Swirl the water to clean any remaining coconut milk in the can.
Add salt, potatoes and chicken. Pour in can water. Cook until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender. This can take as little as 10 minutes or as much as 30-45 minutes depending on your choice of chicken and how big you cut your potatoes.
Add ginger garlic paste, and chili cilantro paste (if using). Bring to a boil and add in the boiled eggs. Cook one minute or so, until eggs have been slightly dyed by the yellow-hued sauce. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
Remove heat. Top with cilantro and serve with steamed basmati rice or chapati.
Recipe and photos by APALA member Reanna Esmail. To learn more about APALA Community Kitchen, or to submit your own recipe, see the project page.