CORNISH OR CULLS CHICKEN CURRY

 

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This Indian Recipe Serves 3-4

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Cornish or Culls Chicken Curry is a curry that is slow cooked for a few hours because the meat is actually quite tough. South Africa is well known for this curry & it usually is a Saturday favourite.

This meal is also referred to South African Indians as fresh chicken or live chicken. This is because the chicken is freshly plucked & cut. It also includes the feet, eggs & other intestines. This popular meal isn’t for the faint-hearted as it is pungent yet so satisfying that your taste-buds will crave more.

The Cornish / Cull or Indian Game is a type of chicken from the area of Cornwall in England. Cornish chickens, and also crosses of Cornishes, are the most-utilized breed in the chicken meat industry. They are overwhelming, solid feathered creatures that lay brown eggs.

Cornish Or Culls Chicken Curry Ingredients:

• 1 whole fresh chicken (cornish or culls)
• salt to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ¼ teaspoon jeera powder
• 1 teaspoon dhania powder
• 2 tablespoons Kashmiri chillii powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 4 jam/rosa tomatoes
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 large potatoes (optional)
• 1 star aniseed
• 1 teaspoon ginger & garlic paste
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
• fresh dhania (coriander) for garnishing

Marinade:

• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon dhania powder
• pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon ginger & garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon Kashmiri chillii powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• drizzle of cooking oil

 

Method:

1. The Cornish or Culls usually come pre-packed in tray & include many other parts of the chicken that the usual dressed chicken doesn’t include. These parts include the egg bag, chicken feet, giblets, liver, heart & sometimes the head. I prefer discarding of those parts that I do not consume & you can do the same. I love the chicken feet so I definitely keep that in as well as the egg bags.
2. Rinse & clean the chicken (I remove the skin but if you enjoy it then leave it on). Place the chicken feet on a chopping board.
3. 
4. Notice those sharp claws. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut off the ends of each joint, removing the tips.
5. 
6. Add the chicken feet to the rinsed & clean chicken in a bowl.
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8. If you enjoy the eggs, then I suggest rinsing them & setting them aside until it’s time to add them to the curry.
9. 
10. Next, you can choose to marinade it like I did (I just feel that there is added flavor in the chicken if you marinade it but it is completely optional). Marinate for about 30 minutes as you do not want the chicken to be out for more than an hour.
11. 
12. 
13. Peel, chop & set aside the onion.
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15. Dice the tomatoes & set aside.
16. 
17. In a large pot, add in the oil.
18. When the oil is slighly hot, drop in the onions & whole spices (cinnamon stick, bay leaves, star aniseed & curry leaves).
19. 
20. Allow to simmer until the onions are translucent.
21. Add in your spices (garam masala, turmeric powder, chilli powder, dhania powder) followed by the ginger & garlic paste.
22. 
23. Add water if necessary – I always used boiled water when cooking.
24. Allow the spices to simmer for 2-3 minutes, adding a little water if it tends to stick to the surface. Do not allow the spices to burn.
25. Thereafter, drop in the diced tomatoes.
26. 
27. Mix well, cover with a lid & allow the tomatoes to cook for about 10 minutes until their soft & form a gravy.
28. Add water if necessary.
29. When the tomatoes have cooked throughout, add in the chicken pieces.
30. 
31. Mix well & add a bit water if needed. Cover & allow to cook on medium heat for about 1 ½  to 2 hours until the chicken meat is soft & tender. Be sure to check on it every now again so it does not burn.
32. In the mean time, peel & cut your potatoes in quarters. Rinse potatoes & set in a bowl of water until ready to use.
33. 
34. When the chicken is almost cooked, add in the potatoes (discard the water that it had been laying in).
35. 
36. Mix well & allow for the potatoes to cook. Try & cover them with the gravy so that they cook faster.
37. After 5 minutes, add in the eggs. (Note: If you prefer adding peas into this Cornish Or Culls Chicken Curry then it should be added with the eggs).
38. 
39. When the potatoes are soft & the eggs are cooked, check that the chicken is cooked thoroughly & if it is then the curry is cooked. It shouldn’t be too watery, yet should have gravy.
40. 
41. Garnish with fresh dhania (coriander).
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43. 
44. Serve this Cornish Or Culls Chicken Curry with rice, bread, puff pastry roti or plain roti & a side of carrot salad or pickles.