Chicken curry is a dish, which is originally from India. There are a thousand ways to cook good chicken curry, but no two are exactly the same, they taste delicious and are full of flavor.
The Fijian version might be a little untraditional but it is a quick and easy recipe with simple ingredients like onions, garlic, ginger, and curry powder.
When I was a child growing up on the Islands of Fiji, my parents used to cook outside on a woodfire stove, which we call a chulha.
A Chulha is a traditional Indian cooking stove used for outdoor cooking. Chulha is made with three rocks placed in a triangular position. The pots were placed on the top of the chulha. Dried wood was used as fuel to ignite the fire.
Food cooked on a chulha or woodfire stove taste different than food cooking on a gas or electric stove. Woodfire cooking brings a unique smoky flavor created by firewood. The flavors from searing and caramelization are captured and developed in the cooking process
Fijian Chulha (woodfire stove)
Fiji Style Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken cut into cubes ( about 2kg)
- 3 medium potatoes cut into cubes
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
- 5 to 6 fresh or dried curry leaves
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp Fijian masala or curry powder (see the note below)
- 1 cup of water
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves (option)
- 1 tsp chili oil (option)
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Over medium heat, in a large pan heat the oil.
- Add cumin, mustard seeds, and curry leaves, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add sliced onions and saute until onions are translucent.
- Add minced garlic and ginger, stir and cook for 2 more minutes, before adding all the spices, chili, turmeric, Fiji masala, or curry powder.
- Cook 2 more minutes, oven low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Add chicken and diced potatoes, and season with salt, stir to coat in all the spices, cover the pan and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until all the liquid evaporates
- Add water cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked over low heat.
- Garnish with cilantro leaves.
- Serve with hot rice or roti.
