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Colombo de poulet
Colombo de poulet: the French Antilles' chicken curry with homemade colombo spice, aubergine, chayote and potato
In Guadeloupe and Martinique, colombo is the curry brought by Tamil workers in the nineteenth century and now a fixture of Sunday lunches, christenings and Carnival feasts. Its spice blend, also called colombo, mixes toasted coriander, cumin, fenugreek, mustard seed and turmeric with a little toasted rice that thickens the sauce. Chicken is marinated in lime and garlic in the fridge, then simmered with aubergine, chayote (christophine) or courgette and potato into a golden, earthy, gently tangy stew, with a whole Scotch bonnet for perfume. Serve with white rice and a wedge of lime. Chef's tip: leave the Scotch bonnet whole and lift it out at the end for flavour without fierce heat; prick it only if you want it hot.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the colombo powder
For the marinade
For the curry
To serve
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Toast 2 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp fenugreek seeds, 1 tsp black mustard seeds, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 4 cloves and 1 tbsp uncooked white rice in a dry pan over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes, shaking, until fragrant and the rice turns pale gold. Cool, grind to a fine powder and mix with 1 tbsp ground turmeric.
5 minStep 2: Mix 3 ⅛ lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks with 2 limes juice, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tsp salt and 1 tablespoon of the colombo powder. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 1–4 hours.
5 minStep 3: Heat 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy casserole over a medium-high heat. Shake the marinade off the chicken (keep the liquid) and brown the pieces for 3–4 minutes on each side, until golden. Lift out.
10 minStep 4: Lower the heat to medium and cook 2 onions for 6 minutes, until soft. Add 3 garlic cloves and the rest of the colombo powder and stir for just 1 minute. The most common mistake is frying the powder too long: it scorches and turns bitter in seconds.
7 minStep 5: Return the chicken with its marinade, 3 thyme sprigs, 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, 1 ⅛ lb potatoes, 1 aubergine, 1 chayote (christophine) and 2 cups water. Stir, bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 35–40 minutes, stirring now and then.
40 minStep 6: Uncover and simmer for 5–10 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender, the aubergine has melted into the sauce and the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part, near the bone. The sauce should coat a spoon.
8 minStep 7: Meanwhile, cook 16 oz long-grain white rice in plenty of salted boiling water for 12 minutes and drain.
15 minStep 8: Lift out the Scotch bonnet and thyme, stir in 3 spring onions and 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, taste for salt and serve with the rice and lime wedges.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 76 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does colombo de poulet take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of coriander seeds?
- Ground coriander, same amount (add it later in the cooking; it burns faster).
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
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