Pomegranate Chicken

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There are many versions of this dish, which has its origins in the Middle East. Increase the cayenne amount to ½ teaspoon for a more fiery dish. Fresh pomegranate juice gives the sauce a rich, fruity flavor.

Ingredients

2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

¼ cup flour

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten


Sauce:

½ cup finely diced onion

1 cup chicken stock

¾ cup pomegranate juice (one large pomegranate)

¼ cup currants

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon fresh mint, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Cornstarch to thicken, 2-3 teaspoons mixed with cold water

Instructions

Rinse the chicken and divide it into four pieces. Flatten the breasts by covering them with plastic wrap and pounding until they are about ½ an inch thick.

Chop the walnuts finely and combine with the flour in a shallow dish, like a pie plate. Put the eggs into a separate dish.

Salt and pepper the chicken breasts, then dip each piece into the beaten egg. Immediately dredge in the walnut/flour mixture, pressing the coating onto the chicken.

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion and sauté until golden. Remove the cooked onions and set aside.

Add the chicken and brown on both sides, about 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and keep it warm. Do not wash the skillet.

Add the chicken stock and pomegranate juice to the skillet, along with the cooked onion, currants and cayenne pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add the mint and cornstarch. When the sauce has thickened slightly, taste and adjust the seasonings.

Pour over the chicken breasts and serve with a side of couscous and cucumber/yogurt salad.

Heat scale: mild to medium

Jerk Chicken with Pineapple-Mango Salsa

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This recipe for jerk sauce is fiery but not incendiary, full of flavor, and worth the effort to make it. There are as many Jamaican recipes for jerk as there are Jamaicans; I settled on this as one the best of the best. Serve with big iced bottles of Jamaican Red Stripe beer. Read more about Jamaica’s Jerk cuisine in the article“Cookin’ Jerk on de Barbacoa, Mon!” By Rick Browne

Ingredients

Chicken

















1/3 cup coarsely chopped shallot

4 green onions, green and white parts, chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup water

Juice of 2 limes

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 to 1 Scotch bonnet chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

3 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons allspice

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon dried thyme

4-6 (4 to 6 oz.) skinless, bone-in chicken breasts

1 cup chopped fresh pineapple

1 cup chopped fresh mango

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 tablespoon minced jalapeño

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In a food processor or blender, combine the shallots, green onions, oil, water, lime juice, soy sauce, Scotch bonnet, garlic, ketchup, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and thyme and process until a smooth paste forms. Set aside.

Wash the chicken breasts and pat dry. Using rubber gloves, cover each breast with the jerk paste. Place the chicken in a re-sealable plastic bag and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours.

Prepare a charcoal or gas barbecue for indirect grilling, placing a drip pan under the cool side of the grill rack.  Preheat to 350 degrees F. Make sure the grill rack is clean, and oil it thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray.

Remove the chicken from the bag and transfer to the prepared grill rack over direct heat. Cook for 5 minutes per side, then move the chicken to the cool side of the grill and cook for 10 to 15 minutes longer per side, until the internal temperature reaches 160˚F. Remove the chicken from the grill and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the salsa by combining the pineapple, mango, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice in a food processor and pulsing 3 or4 times until the ingredients are chopped, but still chunky. Pour into a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Serve each breast topped with a generous portion of salsa.

Chicken and Beef Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

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This recipe, by Chef Abdul Wahab of the Equatorial Penang Hotel in Penang, Malaysia, is a classic Malay dish that combines the heat of chillis with the nutty taste of peanuts and the exotic fragrances of the Spice Islands. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Find more recipes and read about Dave DeWitt’s Singapore trip in the article Singapore Fling By Dave De Witt

Ingredients

The Marinade:

4 large pieces of ginger, peeled

5 cloves garlic, peeled

3 shallots, peeled

1 teaspoon cumin seed

1 teaspoon anise seed

1 tablespoon ground turmeric

3 pieces lemon grass

2 teaspoons sugar

1 pound boneless chicken, cut into strips

The Peanut Sauce:

1/2 cup red chilli paste (or red chillis pureed with water)

1/4 cup peanut oil

5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 3 shallots, peeled and minced

3 pieces lemon grass, minced

3 large pieces ginger, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

4 tablespoons minced cashews 1/4 cup minced peanuts

1 teaspoon tamarind paste (optional)

2 teaspoons sugar

Diced cucumbers and onions for garnish

Instructions

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a food processor and puree, adding a little water if necessary. Marinate the chicken and beef strips in this mixture for 12 hours.

Heat the peanut oil in a pan and add the chilli paste and the next 6 ingredients. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

To Assemble:
Thread the chicken and beef strips on separate satay sticks which have been soaked in water. Grill the satay sticks over coals until the meats are done, about 10 minutes, tuuming often.

Serve the satays with the sauce on the side and garnished with diced cucumbers and onions.

Spicy Lime Chicken (Nimbu Masala Murgh)

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This recipe and others can be found in the 12-part illustrated series “A World of Curries”. You can read all about this unique Indian flavor here.

 

Ingredients

2 large onions, chopped
1 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled
10 cloves garlic
2 cups plain yogurt
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon commercial garam masala
1/4 cup ghee (recipe here) or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
4 green chiles, such as serranos, stems removed, finely minced
1/4 cup lime juice
1 lime, cut into small pieces, for garnish
1 large tomato, diced, for garnish
1/2 cup raw cashew nuts, for garnish
1 large onion, sliced into rings, for garnish
1/4 cup cilantro or mint leaves, for garnish

Instructions

In a food processor or blender, grind the chopped onion, ginger, and garlic into a smooth paste. Combine the paste with the yogurt, salt, cayenne powder, and half of the cumin, coriander and garam masala. Add the chicken pieces, mix well, and marinate at room temperature for 6 hours.

In another skillet, heat the ghee or oil over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Add the mustard seeds, and when they begin to pop, add the chiles.  Pour the ghee or oil (along with mustard and chiles) over the chicken, and continue cooking for 8 to 10 minutes over medium heat or until the moisture evaporates.

Place the chicken in a serving dish. Squeeze the lime juice over the meat, and sprinkle the cumin, coriander, and garam masala over the mixture. Garnish with the lime pieces, cashew nuts, tomato and onion rings, and cilantro or mint leaves.

Swimming Chicken Curry

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This recipe and others can be found in the 12-part illustrated series “A World of Curries”. You can read all about this unique Indian flavor here.

 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons peanut oil
4 exotic or Japanese eggplants, peeled and diced
2 small green chiles, such as serrano, seeds and stems removed, chopped
2 onions, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons chopped ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 2-inch piece lemongrass, including the bulb
1 chicken, cut up
1 cup beer (or substitute water)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fish sauce, nam pla, (or substitute light soy sauce)
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

Combine the oils in a wok, heat, and quickly brown the eggplant, stirring often, for about 6 minutes.  Combine the chile, onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and lemongrass in a food processor or blender and puree to a fine paste.  

In a wok the paste in the oil, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, adding a little water if the paste begins to stick to the wok.  Add the chicken pieces, stir to coat with the paste, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the beer, wine, eggplant, and fish sauce, stir, cover, and simmer for another 20 minutes.  Just before serving, stir in the cardamom and cilantro, cover, and let sit for a minute or two.