jamaican curry chicken

This recipe was taught to me verbally by three of my Jamaican friends at work over our break. I was excited to try it because it seemed so easy to do. When I tried it at home, I was very pleased because after I added all the ingredients to the boiling water, I could mostly forget about it while it simmered for an hour, during which I could do my other chores or watch TV. My husband loves it too, so much so that I’ve been making it at least once a week this past month.

Last week I took some extra portions to work to share with the friends who gave me the recipe. And their ultimate verdict:

“Mmm-mm! Delicious! Very Jamaican!” – said one
“This is very good.” – said another
“Restaurant quality!” – proclaimed the third

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Servings: 3 – 4

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. (450 grams) chicken parts (I personally like chicken wing parts or
skinless, boneless chicken breast which I cut into 2-inch cubes)
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use coarse sea salt)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 stalks scallions (or spring onions), sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, sliced
1/3 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup green bell pepper, diced
4 teaspoons curry powder
10 corns allspice
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup potatoes, cubed (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the first ten (10) ingredients in a bowl. Let stand for about 15 minutes.
2. Boil the water in a medium saucepan.
3. When the water comes to a boil, add in the ingredients in your bowl.
4. Arrange the chicken parts in the saucepan so that they are mostly covered by the water.
5. Simmer, uncovered, for one (1) hour, until the curry sauce gets pasty, occassionally turning the chicken parts. Add salt and pepper to taste. (If using potatoes, add them in about 15 minutes before you take the saucepan off the stove).
6. Serve with hot rice for a delicious meal.

Posted under Food and Dining

The past week or so I have been reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s autobiography “Living to Tell the Tale”.

His life story, written in Garcia’s unmistakeable, inimitable voice and style, is amusing, informative, and inspiring. From the very start, he defines himself by his all-consuming passion for books, stories, and writing.

Garcia Marquez’s achievement in literature and in history is the more notable because he is, for the most part, a self-taught writer. At one point, he narrates how he learned to hone his skills by studying other novels:

…”After I became aware of this, I began to read like a real working novelist, not only for pleasure but out of an insatiable curiosity to discover how books by wise people were written. I read them forward first, then backward, and subjected them to a kind of surgical disemboweling until I reached the most recondite mysteries of their structure.”

Mr. Gabriel Garcia Marquez, sir, thank you for sharing with us one of the secrets of your success as a writer, and an excellent technique for learning to write stories well.

Posted under Reading