Taste of Zambia - Tongabazi Chicken Curry

Since I was invited to apply to go to Zambia with WaterAid, I have been researching the country to get an idea of the people and culture, some of that researched I’ve posted on this blog, others I haven’t...yet...

Part of that research took me in the direction of food (a subject that’s never too far from my mind), so over the next few days I thought I’d share some typical Zambian dishes I have come across.

(South East Water colleagues, you may get the opportunity to try these for yourself in a couple of weeks!)

Tongabazi Chicken Curry

This is a classic chicken curry with butternut squash and sweet potatoes.

Ingredients:

2 sweet potatoes

4 large chicken pieces

1 butternut squash, peeled and diced

2 tomatoes, blanched, skinned and diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tbsp grated ginger

5 cardamom seeds, crushed

2 onions, finely chopped

Vegetable oil for frying

1 tsp curry powder

450ml chicken stock

2 salks lemongrass, bruised

2 small red chillies, finely chopped

300ml yoghurt

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 tbsp finely chopped coriander

Method: 

• Add the sweet potatoes to boiling water and boil for 10 mins then cut into thin slices
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper and fry in the vegetable oil until golden brown then remove the chicken from the frying pan and place on the side
• Fry the on ions until golden brown then add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, cardamom and curry power and cook for a few minutes.
• Return the chicken to the frying pan and add the stock and lemongrass.
• Cover and simmer for 10 minutes

• Meanwhile fry the sweet potato and butter in a separate pan over a medium heat until they are crisp on the outside then add to chicken pan
• Add chillies to the chicken pan and cook for a further two minutes before sturring in the yoghurt and heating through (do not allow to boil).

Recipe taken from www.celtnet.org.uk