Curryfiji Recipes

FIJI-INDIAN CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• Chop chicken into bit size stewing pieces.
• Finely chop 1 onion and slice the other onion and set aside.
• Combine garlic, serrano chillies, ginger in mortar and pestle and pound until it becomes a paste. Add 1 teaspoon salt to help make paste and so garlic doesn't fly away on you. You can also use a blender, but i find the mortar and pestle makes it more pasty without wasting any flavour from garlic.
• Add garam masala, turmeric and some water to the garlic paste and mix to make a curry paste and set aside.Should be a runny consistency.
• Heat canola oil in stewing pot.
• Add cinnamon stick, mustard seed, cloves, cardamon seeds with shells removed and cummin to pot. Stir until seeds pop.
• Add curry leaves. Watch out for oil splatter.
• Add finely chopped onions and cook until well browned but do not burn. (The more brown, the more flavor).
• Add curry paste and stir for a few minutes until garlic is well browned. Should be a nice yellowish color.
• Add chicken and half of sliced onion and a punch of salt. If you are adding chicken stock later on, add less salt.
• Stir and let cook until water comes out of chicken.
• Cook until water evaporates and fry the chicken until slightly browned approximately 20 minutes for fryer chicken, longer for stewing or freerange.
• Stir in remaining sliced onion.
• If adding chicken stock add it now and bring to boil. This is great for when you have a cold. This is Indo-fijian chicken soup for the soul.
• If you are health conscious, at this point i usually remove the excess fat that floats on top of the curry. Up to you if you want to leave it in, more flavor.
• Add chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice. Remove from heat.
• Serve over rice. Enjoy! ;-).

FIJI STYLE CRAB CURRY

Steps:

• Wash and clean the crabs well. Pull the top cover shell off and remove the gills and any gut tissue if present. Then remove the claws and cut the main body of each crab into half.
• Heat coconut oil in a large pan and add the mustard seeds; allow to crackle.
• As the mustard seeds start to crackle, lower heat and add the ginger, cumin seeds, turmeric powder and garam masala. Mix well and take care not to burn the spices.
• Then add the onion and garlic; sauté till the onions turn light brown.
• Next add the curry leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and chillies; mix and cook on low heat for 30 seconds.
• Add the crab pieces, tomato and season with salt. Mix well to combine and cook on high heat for 2-3 minutes.
• Next add the coconut milk and cook covered on low heat for about 5-6 minutes till the crabs are done.
• Remove from heat and garnish with chillies, curry leaves and lemon wedges.