Colonel Benjamin’s Spicy Curry Chicken
This chile pepper gets its name from its origin. In Spanish, serrano is an adjective meaning “from the mountains” which is where it originated-in the mountains of Hildalgo, Mexico. The serrano is normally about twice as hot as Jalapeno (about 10,000 to 15,000 Scoville units). It is the second most popular chile pepper in Mexico. This chile is used mostly for salsas but can also be used in soups, sauces, chili or stews. Try these as a hotter substitute for Jalapeno.
Ingredients:
Curry spice:
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tps. chile powder
1 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. olive oil
4 cups of finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded and chopped
3-1/2 cups coarsely chopped, peeled tomatoes
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
12 chicken thighs, skinned
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 pounds peeled baking potatoes, cut into 1
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 cups hot cooked rice
cilantro sprigs
Instructions:
To make the curry spice mixture:
Combine all the spice ingredients and mix well.
To prepare the dish:
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the onion, garlic and chile. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the curry spice mixture, chopped tomatoes and lemon juice. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 tsp. of salt. Add the chicken and potatoes to the pan and stir in the chopped cilantro, then bring to a boil. Cover the dish and reduce the heat. Simmer for about 50 minutes or until the chicken is done. Serve the mixture over hot rice and garnish with the cilantro sprigs.
Yields 6 servings (serving size: 2 thighs, 1 cup potato curry, and 1/2 cup rice).
Recipe from Elizabeth Taliaferro, Cooking Light Magazine, October 2003.