South African Chicken Curry Recipe

Talk about a bright fusion of flavors. This recipe is off the charts for mouthwatering tastiness! Having worked for a travel company that specializes in South African tours, I became immersed in all things South Africa, including the food. Chicken Curry was and still is one of my faves. Here's a simple recipe, courtesy Lucia Barnard, that perfectly captures the essence of the dish. I made it for the first time yesterday to rave reviews! (I've included the original recipe and also some notes on how and why I altered it slightly.)

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 - 2 tablespoons Rajah Curry Power (imported from South Africa) depending on the level of spiciness desired

• 3 large chicken breasts cut up

• 1 15-oz. can chopped or diced tomato

• 1 can (above) water

• salt and pepper to taste

• 2 medium russet potatoes, diced

• cilantro, chopped

• jasmine or basmati rice, cooked

Directions

Sauté onion in butter with curry powder. In a separate pan, brown chicken and add to onion and curry mixture. Add chopped or diced tomato. Add salt and pepper. Add 1 can of water. Stir and simmer for about 45 minutes. Add potatoes and simmer for another 30 minutes. Switch off heat and let settle. Stir in chopped cilantro. Serve with rice.

Notes

• I used 2 tablespoons of the curry powder, because it adds a lot of heat. If you can't handle spicy, cut back on the curry.

• I used 1 potato, not 2, because of the amount of starch. The potato adds a nice consistency, but since I served it with rice, I thought 1 versus 2 would be a more balanced choice. This is a personal preference.

• Btw, hubby didn't want the rice at all. For me, the rice was a great addition because it cut the heat a little, but he wanted all the heat!

• I used a little more tomato and water, only because the liquid was drying up too fast. It added flavor and moisture. Maybe I had the heat on too high, and that's why I needed to do this.

I researched some other recipes, but they were much more complex. Since I had already been fortunate enough to have been a dinner guest of Lucia's (a native South African), I knew that her recipe was a winner. Enjoy!