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Chicken fafa
Poulet fafa: Tahitian chicken with taro leaves in coconut milk
Poulet fafa is a Tahitian Sunday dish, cooked for the ma'a Tahiti feast alongside raw fish and po'e in homes across Tahiti and Mo'orea. Chicken pieces are browned and simmered with fafa, young taro leaves, in coconut milk until everything is soft and creamy green. Taro leaves must be cooked for a long time, at least 45 minutes, to break down crystals that irritate the throat; never eat them undercooked. Spinach is a good, quicker alternative. A common mistake is adding the coconut milk too early; it can split during the long cook. Chef's tip: shred the leaves finely and pre-boil them, throwing that water away.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb young taro leaves (fafa)or spinach, stems removed, shredded
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionchopped
- 3 cloves garlicchopped
- 1 tbsp fresh gingergrated
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 ¾ cups coconut milk
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: If using taro 1 ⅛ lb young taro leaves (fafa), boil them in plenty of water for 15–20 minutes, drain and throw the water away. (Skip this for spinach.)
20 minStep 2: Season 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone in with 1 ½ tsp salt. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot and brown the chicken for 8–10 minutes until golden on all sides.
10 minStep 3: Add 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic and 1 tbsp fresh ginger and cook for 3 minutes.
3 minStep 4: Add the drained taro leaves and 1 ¼ cups water, cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring now and then. (Add spinach only in the last 10 minutes of the next step.)
30 minStep 5: Stir in 1 ¾ cups coconut milk and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes until the sauce is thick and creamy green and the chicken is cooked through to 165°F at the bone. Serve with rice or breadfruit.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chicken fafa take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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