Author Notes
This curry became a staple for our family when we were living in England, and getting used to shorter, much colder days. It's full of vibrant flavor, and deeply warming because of the ginger. Coconut milk makes it extra-nourishing and rich. —Ariana Mullins
Ingredients
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2 tablespoons
coconut oil
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1
whole chicken, cut into parts (I reserve the wings for making stock)
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3
onions, chopped lengthwise into wedges
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1
turnip, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
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1
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and smashed
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3
cloves garlic– skins removed and smashed
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2 tablespoons
curry powder
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1 teaspoon
fenugreek seeds
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fresh ground pepper
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salt
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400 milliliters
coconut milk (full fat)
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1
lemon or lime
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1 bunch
cilantro (optional), chopped
Directions
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In a large pot, heat up your coconut oil over medium heat. Put the chicken pieces in, skin-side-down, to brown. You will probably need to do this in a couple batches. Give them plenty of time– if you try to turn them too soon, the skin will stick to the bottom. If they release easily, then they are probably ready to turn. Brown the other side, too. Remove the pieces from the pot when they’re browned.
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Add your onions to the oil in the pan, and use a wooden spatula to scrape up the bits of chicken stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let them cook for about 4 minutes or so, then add the carrots and keep scraping for another minute or two. Salt a little as you go, to build flavor.
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Add the spices, ginger and garlic in, and stir them with the vegetables and let them toast in the oil for about a minute– you don’t want them to burn, just to get really fragrant.
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Add the turnips, put the chicken pieces back into the pot, and pour in the coconut milk. Add a little hot water to the can to rinse and add that to the pot, as well– the liquid should be about to the chicken on top.
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Cover and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, moving things around in there a couple of times while it cooks. Check for seasoning, and add lemon juice or lime juice to taste– a nice little acid kick here is important for flavor balance. Add more salt or pepper, if needed. Top with chopped cilantro right before serving.
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