domesticity,  Family Matters,  illos,  Stealthy Spy Cooking

Polynesian Chicken Curry

May 5, 2008 /

curry

Here is my Grandma’s curry recipe you asked for!

Ingredients:

      MEAT
6 Chicken Thighs*
Water to cover
1/2 teaspoon salt

      SAUCE
2 Granny Smith Apples (peeled and sliced crescent style)
1 Yellow Onion (sliced crescent style)
vegetable oil OR butter (enough to coat bottom of pan +)
Handful of Raisins
1 Tablespoon Curry Powder (or more if you like it hot)
1 can coconut milk
 
       SLURRY
2 Tablespoons corn starch
2 Tablespoons water
 
      CONDIMENTS
1/2 pound bacon fried crispy in small pieces
1 can Spanish peanuts
1 can pineapple tidbits drained (reserve juice)
2 tomatoes chopped
shredded or flaked coconut
more raisins
4 green onions, chopped
 
1.  Put chicken, water and salt in crockpot.  Set on high and cook until tender.  (usually about 2 to 4 hours depending on your pot).
 
2.  In a large frying pan, saute onions, apples until translucent. While cooking, sprinkle a handful of raisins and curry powder.
 
3.  Remove chicken from crockpot and cool enough to handle.  Take skin off and remove bone.  Chop into bite sized pieces.
 
4.  Pour reserved pineapple juice into broth.
 
5.  Pour coconut milk into broth.
 
6.  Thicken broth mixture with slurry while cooking.
 
7.  Return chicken to the broth.
 
8.  Add the cooked onion, apple and raisins.
 
Serve over sticky rice and top with your choice of the condiments.
 
ENJOY!
 
*  You can use boneless, skinless chicken pieces.  I like the broth, but you can substitute 1 boullion cube dissolved in 1 cup hot water.
                                   OR
                          2 Lamb shanks
 
*  If you do not have coconut milk, pour 1 cup of boiling water through 1 cup of coconut in a seive, three times.  Use the wet coconut later for cookies or muffins.
 
If you make this, let us know how you liked it!
 

26 Comments

  • bluejaye

    May 5, 2008 at 10:19 am

    I can’t wait to try this. I don’t have a crockpot, so I’m going to try it in my dutch oven.
    What a great day to spend with your grandma. I wish I had those days back to really take advantage and cherish them better. She would have been 110 this halloween. She was with us until she was 93. Oh, it makes me sigh.

  • Chris

    May 5, 2008 at 10:37 am

    Wish I had a crockpot so I could try this! That curry looks pretty comforting. We’re trying not to buy too many electrical appliances that we couldn’t bring back to North America though. Heh, well if I tried to slow-cook something tonight, we’d be eating in the wee hours of the morning anyway.

    I love that you can fire off an illustration quick like that.

  • josephine

    May 5, 2008 at 10:46 am

    Not to be forcing the issue but my grandma says,

    “I made curry long before the era of crock pots…I had a huge frying pan and did everything in it. Back then I merely used already cooked meat. Use chicken, or lamb, or beef, or even shrimp.

    It is even good without the apples and raisins, just substitute some sliced carrots and celery.

  • Annabanana

    May 5, 2008 at 12:00 pm

    I am so not understanding what this dish is all about. It sounds so strange, I will take your word for it that it is yummy. The combination of ingredients just seems so weird to me. I will have to try it and let you know, wish me luck!
    Great illio btw!

  • Britt

    May 5, 2008 at 12:13 pm

    I cannot wait to try this, hopefully this thursday or friday and I will let you now how it turns out. Thanks for the recipe!!!!

  • Susan

    May 5, 2008 at 1:26 pm

    I hate to admit my ignorance but I was uncertain as to what curry is or is used for so had to look it up. This recipe looks delicious! And I loved how all the places I looked up curry called it the “Magic Spice”. ;-) Thanks for sharing!

  • Annika

    May 5, 2008 at 4:39 pm

    Yummy! I am definitely going to try making this next week (Farmer’s Market is Sundays, so that’s when I go shopping). I’m going to try a vegetarian version too, I’ll let you know how it comes out.

  • pinky

    May 5, 2008 at 6:05 pm

    I am totally making this! I spent some time during my pregnancy making various things in the crockpot and freezing them. We have finally cleaned out the freezer and need more dinners!

  • pinky

    May 5, 2008 at 6:09 pm

    ps – for a super shortcut – you can find jars of prepared curry sauces at the supermarket – what I’ve done is cook boneless skinless chicken tenders in a frying pan, add pineapple and frozen carrot “coins,” the sauce, and serve over rice. It takes no time and is very satisfying.

  • calee

    May 5, 2008 at 6:54 pm

    Thanks sooo much for the grandma update. I must be the only mom holding the no crockpot line. Now I can make this for dinner tomorrow. Or maybe Wednesday since tomorrow is boys night and there will be no chicken. Only steak. On the grill.

  • amyinbc

    May 5, 2008 at 9:00 pm

    Yum…. 9.59 pm and wishing I could have some NOW! Thinking could become a family tradition over here. Love how you add what you want to it :) Thank you!

  • ninabi

    May 6, 2008 at 4:45 am

    Thank you!!! Can’t wait to try this. Oh, and a cute illustration, to boot. You are very sweet to have posted this.

    Curry is so good- I buy the hot curry blend from Penzy’s Spices, 1/2 lb at a time.

    This will give us a new way to use it. I love the idea of “curry sundaes”. Please tell your grandmother that I’m grateful to her for sharing this.

  • bethany actually

    May 7, 2008 at 10:45 am

    I made this last night, and it was delicious! The only thing I would add is that with only 1 Tbsp. of mild curry powder, it was VERY mild. Next time I make it (and I will be making it again!) I will probably at least double the curry powder.

    Thanks for sharing, SAJ & SAJ’s gramma! :-)

  • Gramma

    May 7, 2008 at 11:49 am

    At home we always use more curry powder, and then place the shaker right by our youngest daughter . But to the uninitiated, it is best to start slowly. I also would use more salt to start, but I’m on a salt restricted regime.

    Remember, if you are not a fruity person, leave out the apples, raisins and pineapple juice. Just add carrots and celery instead. You can even make it vegetarian by leaving out the meat altogether.

  • bethany actually

    May 7, 2008 at 10:52 pm

    SAJ’s Gramma – If I had been making this for only my family, I probably would have at least doubled the curry powder, but since I was making it for a group of people that included kids and at least one person who does not like hot foods, I tried to keep it mild. :-)

    Thanks for the suggestions about the carrots and celery. That is one of the best things about curries, that they are so versatile! Chickpeas and cubed potatoes are good too.

  • Meg

    May 9, 2008 at 5:15 am

    Thank you! I just took a package of chicken thighs out of the freezer and didn’t want to make my old standby recipe. This will be a perfect use for them. It sounds wonderful!

  • kristie

    May 16, 2008 at 11:20 am

    I made this for dinner on Wednesday and it was delish!! I even got my husband to add pineapple bits to his, and he’s usually a hater of pineapple!! We skipped the raisins, but added carrots and celery. It will be a new regular around here, I think!

    We had it on mashed potatoes on left-over night, and that was yummy, too.

    Thanks for sharing!!