Cape Malay Curry

Name: Cape Malay Curry
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 1.2 kg Chicken Pieces, bone-in thighs/drumsticks, skin-on or off; 2 large Onions, finely chopped; 4 cloves of Garlic, minced; 1 tbsp Ginger, fresh, grated; 2 tbsp Neutral Oil, sunflower or canola; 2 medium Potatoes, about 400 g, peeled and cut into chunks; 400g Canned Chopped Tomatoes; 250ml Chicken Stock, or water; 80g Dried Apricot, about 8 pieces, halved; 1 Red Chili, finely chopped, adjust to taste; 1 tbsp White Wine Vinegar, or apple cider vinegar; 1 tsp Sugar; 1 1/4 tsp Salt, fine, plus more to taste; 1/2 tsp Pepper (Black); 1 stick of Cinnamon; 4 pods of Green Cardamom, lightly crushed; 4 cloves of Cloves, whole; 2 leaves of Bay Leaf; 2 tbsp Mild Curry Powder, Cape Malay style if available; 2 tsp Ground Coriander; 1 tsp Ground Cumin; 1 tsp Ground Turmeric; 1 bunch of Cilantro, fresh, roughly chopped; 300g Basmati Rice, about 1½ cups, rinsed; 600ml Water; 1/2 tsp Salt; Some Lemon, wedges for serving, optional

This Cape Malay Curry is a fragrant, gently spiced one-pot stew that balances savory braised chicken with sweet apricots and tender potatoes. Toasted warm spices and a tangy hint of vinegar and lemon lift the rich tomato base, making it comforting yet bright — perfect served over steaming basmati rice.

This Cape Malay Curry is a fragrant, gently spiced one-pot stew that balances savory braised chicken with sweet apricots and tende... Show more

Traditional South African Recipe

Health Grade

B+ · Healthy

Rating

4.3

Time

1 hr10 min

Price

1,76 €

Calories

873 kcal

meal prep

one pot

gluten free

high protein

Method

Rinse the rice

Rinse the Basmati Rice in a sieve under the tap until the grains run mostly clear, then let it drain while you prep the curry.

Prep the veg

Finely chop the Onion, mince the Garlic, grate the Ginger, peel and cut the Potatoes into bite-size chunks, halve each Dried Apricot, and finely chop the Red Chili. Roughly chop the Cilantro and keep it aside for serving.

Season the chicken

Pat the Chicken Pieces dry, then season them all over with about 1/2 tsp of the Salt and the Pepper.

Heat the oil

Set a large pot or deep sauté pan over medium-high heat and warm the Neutral Oil until it shimmers.

Brown the chicken

Add the chicken pieces in a single layer and sear for 4 to 5 minutes per side, working in batches so the pieces get a real crust instead of steaming. Move the browned chicken to a plate.

Build the curry

Lower the heat to medium and cook the onion for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and chopped red chili for 30 seconds, then add the Cinnamon stick, lightly crushed Green Cardamom pods, Cloves, Bay Leaf, Mild Curry Powder, Ground Coriander, Ground Cumin, and Ground Turmeric. Cook for 1 minute more until fragrant, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Pour in the Canned Chopped Tomatoes and Chicken Stock, then add the apricots, White Wine Vinegar, and Sugar. Return the chicken and potatoes to the pot with any juices, and bring the curry just to a simmer.

Simmer the curry

Bring the curry to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat, cover partially, and cook for 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the chicken is tender and the potatoes are cooked through. If you have a second burner free, start the rice at the same time: put the drained rice in a saucepan with 600 ml of the Water and the remaining salt, bring it to a boil, cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 12 minutes. Take it off the heat and let it stand, covered, for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Taste the curry and add a little more salt or pepper if it needs it.