Mild Curried Chicken Potjie with Banana

The editorial staff of Caravan & Outdoor Magazine tested this South African homegrown recipe for their food page. They commented as follows: "More than a palatable potjie, this dish is tasty in the extreme and will add real zing to your coal- or gas-cooking repertoire. Succulent, creamy and with a good curry kick, your family will rest replete after this meal. Contented. Sated."

You Will Need:

Main Dish

8 - 10 bone in, skin on chicken thighs
2 T (30 ml) flour
1 T (15 ml) medium curry powder
3 T (45 ml) canola or sunflower oil
2 t (10 ml) Ina Paarman's Chilli & Garlic Seasoning
2 large onions, sliced
2 large carrots, sliced
1 t (5 ml) Ina Paarman’s Vegetable Spice
400 g chopped tinned tomatoes
1 cup (250 ml) long grain rice
6 bananas
1 x 250 ml Ina Paarman’s Butter Chicken Curry Cook-In Sauce or Cape Malay Curry Cook-In Sauce
1½ cups (375 ml) hot water
1 T (15 ml) Ina Paarman's Chicken Flavour Stock Powder
1 cup (250 ml) coconut milk or fresh cream
3 T (45 ml) Ina Paarman's Coriander Pesto

Ina’s Tip

Also excellent done in the oven as a casserole. Bake in a deep casserole or ovenproof saucepan with a lid at 180ºC for 1½ hours.

Method:

Remove excess fat from thighs and shake in a plastic bag with a mixture of flour and curry powder.

Warm the potjie until hot, before adding the oil.

Coat the base by tilting the pot.

Add the chicken pieces in 2 batches and brown both sides.

Spoon out onto a plate and season the chicken with Chilli & Garlic Seasoning. When all the chicken pieces have been browned, add the onions, carrots and Vegetable Spice to the remaining oil in the potjie and stir-fry until soft and aromatic.

Spoon out onto a separate plate.

Now start layering the potjie.

Place half the chicken pieces back in the pot, sprinkle half of the raw rice over.

Add half of the vegetables and half of the tinned tomatoes.

Cover with 3 sliced bananas.

Repeat the layers once more.

In a separate jug or bowl mix together Butter Chicken Curry Cook-In Sauce or Cape Malay Curry Cook-In Sauce, hot water, Chicken Flavour Stock Powder and coconut milk.

Pour down the side of the pot.

Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook slowly over moderate coals for 1½ hours.

Just before serving, top with Coriander Pesto.

To serve

Delicious with sambal salads of apple and tomato.

Apple sambal

Mix all ingredients together.

Tomato sambal

Mix all ingredients together. Both sambals can be made a couple of hours before.