YOGURT-SAUCED CHICKEN CURRY

YOGURT-SAUCED CHICKEN CURRY (MOROCCO)

"This was one of the first African recipes I ever made," remembers Audie Odum-Stallato. “I have always been intrigued by North African foods. They often put fruit with their stews and couscous, and I always liked the contrast in flavors."

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YOGURT-SAUCED CHICKEN CURRY

Cook's Notes: Curry is served throughout the African diaspora, from South African Bobotie, to the Country Captain (a curry-scented fricassee) of the Deep South, to the filling in a Jamaican meat patty. This time-honored recipe for chicken curry includes apples and bananas and is finished with a swirl of tangy yogurt, an excellent foil to the sweetness of the fruit. When cooking with yogurt, stir it in just at the last minute and cook just to heat through-boiling yogurt causes curdling.

Serves 4

  • 4 chicken breast halves, bone in, skin on
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 medium Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 cup chicken broth, homemade or canned
  • 1/3 cup dark raisins
  • 1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
  • ½ cup plain yogurt
  • ½ cup chopped roasted cashews, rinsed to remove salt

1. In a medium bowl, sprinkle the chicken breast with the lemon juice; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a plate. Dredge the chicken breasts in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.

2. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. With tongs, transfer the chicken breasts to a plate and set aside.

3.Add the onion and apple to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, curry powder, and cardamom, reduce the heat to medium, and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the chicken broth and raisins. Return the chicken to the skillet and bring to a simmer.

4. Cook, covered, until the chicken breasts show no sign of pink at the bone when prodded with the tip of a sharp knife, about 20 minutes. Add the banana and yogurt, and stir constantly just until heated through, about 1 minute. Do not boil. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the cashews.

A book cover with several different types of food.