Kieana our eldest daughter is hooked on anything stewed, while Indy our youngest will not touch the stuff. She’s more into curry chicken, but Kieana will only tolerate curry… no real love there. To try and please or ensure they both eat, I’ve gone back to making a dish that my mom used to make for us when we were kids that was a hit. Curry-stew chicken, a combination of both curry and stewing as the name suggests.
The concept is the same as Stew Chicken, except, we’ll be seasoning the chicken with curry to add that extra level of flavor. For this recipe I suggest you again use a heavy pot for best results (see pot below). Something like a traditional Caribbean pot or one of those cast iron Dutch oven type would be great. You may also use one of those heavy stainless steel ones you can find in department stores in North America with the reinforced (heavy) bottoms.
You’ll need……..
1 (4-5 pounds) whole chicken, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 cloves of garlic – thinly sliced or crushed
1 teaspoon fresh/bottled ginger – crushed. (use 1/2 if it’s ginger powder)
2 tablespoon vegetable oil (one that can withstand high heat)
1 medium onion – chopped
1 medium tomato – chopped
2-3 tablespoon cilantro (or 2 tbs Trinidad green meat seasoning)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 hot pepper (only if you like your food spicy)
1 green onion or chive – chopped
2 sprigs of fresh thyme (1 teaspoon dried)
1 lime or lemon or 3 tablespoons of vinegar
2 tablespoon curry powder (your favorite)
Preparing the chicken. Cut or ask your butcher to cut the chicken into serving size pieces. In a bowl empty the cut chicken and squeeze the lime or lemon (or vinegar) onto the chicken, then add some water from your tap to cover the pieces of chicken. Now wash each piece individually, removing skin and any fat (we’ll try to keep this a bit healthy). Now rinse with a new batch of water and drain.
Then in the same bowl with the freshly washed chicken you’ll add ALL the ingredients EXCEPT the oil, sugar and cup of water, we’ll be using those to cook the chicken. Here’s what it should look like (remember to mix everything around and let it sit (marinate) in the fridge for about 1hr before cooking.
FYI, you’ve just seasoned the chicken. After about an hour or so marinating, it time to get things moving.
Here’s a pic of the pot I used:
On high heat, add the oil to the pan. Just before the oil starts to smoke, add the brown sugar. TIP – be sure to have the seasoned chicken handy, use a long handle spoon (it will get hot) and oven mitts to hold onto the pot to turn the pieces of chicken to get it evenly coated. It’s important that you keep an eye on things and be ready to act fast. Next tip – it can get a bit smoky with the high heat at this point, so you may want to turn the exhaust fan over your stove on or open a window in the event you have smoke detectors installed.
Move around the sugar in the pot (remember to use a dry spoon with a long handle), until it starts to melt. Now keep a close eye on things here, since you’re looking for the sugar to go a bit foamy, and change color to golden. See pic below. Notice the middle of the picture where the sugar appears a bit darker? That’s the exact color you’re looking for before adding the chicken. (Note – we used less sugar in this recipe than when cooking stew chicken, since we don’t want to over-power the curry aspect of the dish)
At this point you can start adding the pieces of chicken into the pot with the caramelized sugar. Try to be quick, since you don’t want the sugar to go much darker than in the picture above. Be sure to coat every piece of chicken so it “browns” evenly. Now cover the pot and let simmer for about 5 -10 minutes. you’ll notice that the pot will now have some excess water in it.
We’d like to now allow all the juices that developed during cooking (while pot was covered) to cook-down until there is no liquid in the pot, so we need to turn the heat back up to high. The chicken will now start to get even darker. As soon as you can no longer see any liquid in the pot, it’s will be time to add the water.
Now add the cup of water to the bowl that contained the seasoned chicken. Swish it around so you get all the seasoning bits that were left back. Add this water to the pot so you can continue cooking the chicken for another 25 minutes or so. Turn the heat back down to a gentle simmer and let cook until the water thickens up to a nice gravy like consistency (pot closed). To thicken the gravy, remove the lid and turn up the heat if necessary.
Salt – be sure to taste near the end to add extra salt as to your liking.
Sauce – Since we pair this with rice or with roti, we leave a bit of sauce or gravy with it. BTW, this also goes well as a topping for macaroni and cheese.. give it a try!
Questions? Leave me a comment below and I’ll try my best to help you as best as I can.
Maybe you have a different version of this recipe? Feel free to submit your recipes.
Similar Recipes:
Oh my goodness, that curry stew combo looks incredible. I think I’ll knock my husbands socks off and make it when he gets back from his surf trip. I’m curious as to what the Trinidad meat seasoning is that substitutes for cilatro – I want to see if I can find it. Is it a certain brand?
Oysterculture’s last blog post..Easter – A Fresh Start Around the World
This looks very tasty. Just curious.. what is Trinidad green meat seasoning?
alice’s last blog post..Sunday Morning Lemon Poundcake
Hmmmmm, that look delicious.
Great job on giving tips on the “know-how” of home-cooked Trini food.
Cynthia’s last blog post..Pot Bakes Anyone?
@ Cynthia.
Great to have you drop by. For those of you who don’t know Cynthia, she’s the person behind http://www.tasteslikehome.org/ One of the top resources for all that Caribbean cuisine is. It’s truly a pleasure to have you here and commenting.. next step – please share a recipe with us.
Regards
Chris…
yo chris this is ed from the bronx ny im from the dominican republic i think that you should open a restaurant here in the city,your cooking is realy good,later bro.
Re: Oysterculture and Alice.
See here: http://caribbeanpot.com/how-to-make-the-green-seasoning-paste-thats-so-unique-to-caribbean-cuisine/ it’s the recipe to make it at home. Also, if you were to visit any Caribbean type grocery store, they usually have them pre-made (bottled). Couple brands (I’ve never had to buy so I don’t know much) are “Matouks” and “Grace”. I think “Goudas” also may have one as well.
Thanks for leaving your comments.
Regards
Chris…
this is perfect – I have a lot of family coming this week so this recipe will help to fill in the blanks
doggybloggy’s last blog post..chronic
Chris you’re doing a great job representing “we” food. I don’t have to guess how it tasted. Keep it up!
Felix Padilla’s last blog post..Trini Spinach Lasagna
re: Spirited Miu Flavor
Thanks for visiting and leaving us your comments. Love what you did with the sea bass here: http://spiritedmiuflavor.blogspot.com/2009/03/rockin-sea-bass-and-oven-potatos-w.html
This look like something my husband would cook, he is from island of Dominica
Coffee and Vanilla’s last blog post..Char-Grilled Asparagus with Green Onions, Parmesan and Balsamic Glaze
I will certainly try this. I have tied it but I never seem to put enough curry.
Hi Chris,
I have expanded this recipe a bit to “Drunking Curry Chicken”. In my recipe along with the green seasoning, I also use ‘chadon beni’ and a local seasoning called ‘basil’ to season my chicken along with two grains of clove and a piece of cinnamon. I also make a rum and raisin mixture which goes into the seasoning of the chicken before I curry it or curry stew it. To bring out the real flavour and let the chicken cook in some coconut milk. This I guarantee you will make any mouth water and have pot empty.
Bye
Debbie
HI CHRIS THANKS FOR ALL THESE RECIPES.
I HAVE MADE THIS DISH SO MANY TIMES BEFORE BUT DID NOT IT TO LEAVE TO MARINATE FOR AN HOUR BEFORE COOKING.
I JUST SEASON IT AND NEXT FIVE MINUTES START TO COOK.
I WILL DEFINITELY BE TRYING IT THIS WAY. I FEEL I AM SMELLING IT ALREADY.
fantastic darling good cooking but i am in love with your pot
HI CHRIS, just to say this dish looks sooooo delicious, thx so much
Peter Thomas’s last blog post..Succulent herb and lemon roasted chicken.
I thinks this one is very interesting, I must try it.
that look so gooooooooooooooooooooood
This dish looks wonderful. I can’t wait to make it for my family this weekend.
Hey Chris…if I want to add let’s say one potato to the curry/stew at which point do I add it to the pot??
Thanks
Avia
Thanks for all your wonderful comments.
Re: Avia, Great question. I do add potatoes in this dish as well. It’s added when I add the cup of water. Remember that we have 25 minutes of cooking left after this point, so keep this in mind when cutting the potatoes. If you want big chunks of potato in the finished dish, cut them fairly large so they don’t melt away, but also consider that they have to cook through as well.
Enjoy!
Chris´s last blog ..Trinidad Pepper Sauce Recipe
it’s like dominica stew chicken
My great grand mother and grand mother taught me to burn the sugar til it turn dark before putting in the chicken. Which ever way we do it is fingerlicking-good!
hey chris wow u bring back some memories boy my dad used to cook that for us as kids that was one of his speciality dish,felt like a kid again….believe me it tastes as good as it looks….
now this is truly an original trinidadian dish, we called it (Dougla chicken)and if you add a couple dashes of angostura bitters and some coconut milk to your reciepe and we call it “come back same time tomorrow chicken”. Keep up the good work Bro.
This Curry Stew chicken is one of my favorites but when I prepare I don’t season the chicken with the curry. I stir in the curry about half way into the browning of the sugar, that gives it a really different taste. Try it yuh go like it.
Sharda
Chris I’m new here and I must say Nuff Respect . I live in the flatlands of Texas which pretty much Cowboy country. So finding some items here is impossible. You do a great job and service by giving info on things like the making green seasoning mix.
This recipe looks great. I’ve made Curry Chicken many times. But it’s more of a Jamaican style with a Texan’s twist. I always feel you take a recipe and add to or take way from to make it fit your tastes.
Your Trinidadian way of using brown sugar to cook with is new and fresh to me. I’m loving all I’m learning.
Thanks & Peace,
Erin Mason
whats trini green seasoning
Chris I remember my mom cooking this!! Nothing like a good trini home cooked meal. I am loving this.
You are the best,
Jean
hi your receipe looks almost like minejust add 3 primentos pepper (seasoning peppers) if i did’nt know better i’d say you were in my kitchen spying on me good job keep it up.
Jean… I agree.. home cooked meals are the best. This is why I try my best (In this busy world we live in) to take the time to prepare meals.
re: Donna. Love the tip about adding the peppers (they’re almost impossible to find here, so when I visit TnT next week..I’m sourcing seeds to plant in my garden). Let me know what you’re cooking next so I can spy and post it here
Happy cooking all.
Chris De La Rosa´s last blog ..Profile of the Fiery Scotch Bonnet Pepper.
the curry look good am living in grenada i work spice inn keep up the good work
hi thank u so much i enjoy ur cooking i am in love with the stew have a great day
lena
Awesome receipe, exactly the way I make preparations, but at the end I just add a green or red bell pepper for colour and to get the veggies required.
Hey Chris…I’ve never tried curry chicken your way before.I usually burn a little curry in the oil then add chicken…I also add carrot,irish potato and sweet peppers.
Chris, I am loving your recipes. I am Trini-Canadian. I am making this curry stew tomorrow. As for pimento peppers and shadow beni I live in Toronto but I find them in a Chinese grocery store called T&T, I believe there is one in Mississauga. This site is awesome and I am passing it on to my friends.
Hi Chris, finger-lickin’ g.o.o..o.d! I also try it by adding the curry paste to the browned sugar and when it becomes grainy, I add the chicken. I let it fry in its juices before adding the water.
P.S. You can also enjoy this with a cucumber salad & hops!
Cucumber salad: Cube 2 cucumbers in medium bowl,add 2 tbsp hot peppers(red & yellow- minced), 2 tbsp bandania,2 cloves garlic- minced, salt to taste and toss.
Hmm, this looks delicious, i would eat it right now
its mouth watering
that looks absolutely devine, I have had it before from my gran and is was sooo… delicious. I have tried to make it but it did not turn out the same like hers. Chris, how much sugar should I put for let say 3lbs of chicken? I think that was my problem or maybe I didnot season with enough curry.
Good lawd that looks tasty.
I have family coming up next week, and I can already see this will be for dinner Monday night. I learned about Chief Curry Powder from a Trini friend and I swear by it. It’s the best.
This is my first time on your site so I have not thoroughly looked through, but can you do shark and bake (with the appropriate fish substitute from the states) and some callaloo?
Thanks for taking the time to comment. It’s getting pretty busy as the site grows so I do apologize for the delay in responding.
Re: Richard Risa, and Lena.. thx Keep checking back as I try to post new recipes every few days. Risa, I’ll have to take a drive down to the store you mentioned.
Re: Neera, thanks for the suggestion, I’m sure it brightens up the finished dish well.
Re: shereene it’s not a “true” curry, since what we’ve done is marry it with our “stew” technique. the end product is simply amazing.
Re: Ingrid I’ll have to try that technique you shared. And yes.. a salad is a MUST
Re: Andrea I would stay around 3/4 to 1 tablespoon. You should also see Ingrid’s comments above. I think her tip is worth trying.
Re: Kim I hope the visit went well and you all enjoyed some tasty food and drinks. Yes, I will be doing the bake and shark soon enough (BTW we’re lucky enough to get shark here).
For anyone I didn’t respond to individually, THANKS for taking the time to comment, please coming back and do share the link with your friends.
Happy Cooking
Chris
Chris De La Rosa´s last blog ..How to make green Mango Chutney.
So what exactly is the difference between regular curry chicken and curry stew chicken???
curry stew is my favorite… i recently did some curry stew goat… boi was that good
Maureen, thanks for leaving your question. With curry stew chicken, you season the chicken with the curry and cook it using our stew technique (caramelize brown sugar). So instead of having a strong curry flavour, you have a bit milder and unique one.
Tyla, never had it with goat nor have I ever heard of it. But I’m sure it’s very tasty. sadly, I’m not a huge fan of goat.
happy cooking all.
Chris
Chris De La Rosa´s last blog ..El Yucateco Salsa Picante De Chile Habanero Green Hot Sauce Review.
hi chris i like your recipie always wanted to be connected to some thing like this i went to trinidad once and love the food there i also love cooking indian dishes can u give a pepper sauce recipe pls
Chris thst chicken was so good that I almost kept your recipe to myself. My family LOVED it. It was a monrh ago when I cooked it the first time, and the family came up for another visit last week. Instead of hey Kim how you doing, I was greeted with “where da chicken?” LOL.
I think I will make a currystew ,It looks good Jumb. I didnt know what to cook today,getting tired of everything .
Is there a good masala recipe ?
Dish looks tasty! For health-conscious folks, please note that it is not a necessity to add oil to the pot before caramelising the sugar. The heated pot is enough to melt the sugar on it’s own and it tastes just as good
i am a Barbadian and i am delighted that i found this website. i really enjoy trying the recipes.
Madonna, great to have you here and commenting.
happy cooking
chris…
Thanks for stopping by and commenting Madonna.
happy cooking
chris…
Oh Chris,
I am so glad I stumbled upon this website! I am extremely happy to be part of it. Thank you so much. And if there is anything I can do for you, please let me know.
Debbi the dietitian
from Pickering, Ontario
HI..
Love yur site.. Im living in Toronto…Richmond HIll…. Anywaysss.. so my boyfriend and I made stew chicken a similar recipe on this site but (obmitting the curry) and the chicken came out with a touch of colour but mostly white..(Not like my mom`s stew chicken) We browned the sugar put the chicken in but not in a cast iron pot but a big iron (soup pot).. We follow the recipe…Anyways the chicken taste like burnt sugar but no colour. My bfriend liked it and his family.. They gave it a 9/10 but for a trini i sucked…I gaved it a 1. They told me i was hard on my self but as a trini I should know how to make stew chicken…
Firstly can you tell me what i did wrong.. And where can I get a good trini pot and trini curry in toronto.. I searched.. I was told in Mississauga but Where… Thanks..
Thanks …
Tricia, thanks for taking the time to comment. Regarding the burnt sugar taste..I think you may have overcooked the sugar. when that happens there’s no way to really save it, as the taste will remain burnt. As for the colour.. that is strange if you burnt the sugar, normally the chicken will be very dark. I’ll post a stew chicken recipe with the next week or so and try to make a video to accompany it to show how to get the best results for the caramelized sugar. BTW, when you put the seasoned chicken into the pot with the sugar, did you dump it all in at once? You need to add a few pieces at a time and stir around before adding more. This will allow all the pieces to get coated and also it will help pick up the browned sugar bits from the bottom of the pot.
Stay tuned for the stew chicken recipe.
happy cooking
chris…
BTW, don’t let this turn you away from cooking.. I’m sure you’ll perfect it.
Chris,
My mom is from Trinidad and after reviewing the recipes they are spot on. Thank you so much for all the recipes!!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Thanks Chris.
I have tried alot of Guyanese and Trinidadian dishes but never 'curry stew chicken', I've had the curry chicken or stew chicken. I will definitely try this one, looks very interesting and I am very curious about the ketchup and curry powder together flavour.
Trust me.. you'll love this combination. My friends call it dougla chicken