Poulet Fafa#EatTheWorld

Poulet Fafa is a French Polynesian chicken dish, which is an incredibly easy and delicious recipe. This dish gets it name Fafa, since fafa is taro leaves which is also called “Polynesian spinach”. This also makes a perfect low carb/keto dish.

Taro is rich in minerals, iron and calcium. Since taro/fafa leaves have an irritating effect on the throat, these must be cook for a long time in salted water to avoid a slight irritation on the tongue/throat after eating them ( in India we use tamarind to remove this irritation on the throat /tongue from the leaves). I added tamarind juice, salt to the water, then cooked the leaves, drained the water and then used the leaves in the dish.  

If taro leaves are difficult to find, then you can use spinach as a substitute. If you are using fresh spinach leaves then no need to boil them in tamarind & salt water. You can use this directly while making the dish. If using frozen spinach, thaw first, then squeeze dry before adding to the chicken. It is very easy dish to make

Serves 3
Ingredients
300 Grams Taro leaves (Fafa) or Spinach
1 Tablespoon Heaped Tamarind paste
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
600 Grams Boneless Chicken Thighs
1 Medium Onion - finely chopped
2 Cloves Garlic - minced
1 Small Piece Ginger - minced
½ Cup Chicken Stock or Water - I used Chicken Stock
Salt & Black pepper powder to taste
1 - 2 Teaspoons Cornstarch or Arrowroot powder
1/3 Cup Coconut Cream **see notes

Method 

If using taro leaves, bring a large pot of water with the tamarind paste & ½ teaspoon salt to a boil. Add the taro leaves, reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and place them in ice cold water to stop the cooking process . Then squeeze them dry.
Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large pot.
Brown the chicken on all sides in the hot oil and remove to a plate. 

Sauté the onion, garlic and ginger in the remaining oil until the onion is translucent.
Add back the chicken pieces and the chicken stock, salt and pepper to taste.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes. Add the taro leaves or spinach and simmer for another 15 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
Stir the arrowroot powder into 2 or 3 tablespoons of cold water and then stir the slurry into the simmering sauce to thicken it lightly.

Stir in coconut cream to finish and serve over rice. I enjoyed this with cauliflower rice.

My Notes
Coconut cream is the thick coconut milk that rises to the top of a can of coconut milk. Avoid shaking the can before you open it and you can skim it right off the top.
I used coconut cream powder, mixed 1½ tablespoons coconut cream powder in 1/3 warm water.

Labels: Chicken, Main course, French Polynesian, Eat The world, International Cuisine, Low Carb, Keto

                    

Each month Evelyne of CulturEatz invites us to visit a country and explore their foods. This month it's French Polynesian.

Check out all the wonderful French Polynesian dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Find out how to join Eat the World here and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us! 

 A Day in the Life on the Farm: Poisson Cru 

Culinary Cam: Dreaming of the Tropics with Chevrettes à la Vanille et Coco, Poisson Crû, and More Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Vanilla Bean Lemonade 

Sneha’s Recipe: Poulet Fafa

Red Harissa Chicken#Sundayfunday

Harissa chicken recipe is a perfect delight for spice lovers. Harissa is a fiery and garlicky North African & Middle Eastern spice paste that's traditionally served alongside bread, stews and couscous dishes. The rich, spicy harissa sauce is absolutely delicious. This harissa chicken, can be served with rice or roasted potatoes and a vegetables for a main course.

Ingredients
½ Of Whole Chicken With Bone In & Skin - It weighed around 725 Grams
For The First Marination
1 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
½ Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Greek Yogurt/Hung Curd
For The Second Marination
2 Tablespoons Heaped Homemade Harissa Paste
½ Teaspoon Salt
2 - 3 Tablespoons Oil

Method
For The First Marination
Make cuts on the chicken and pat it dry.

Take the chicken and marinate it with the given ingredients. Cover and leave it in the refrigerator for about an hour or more. 
For The Second Marination

Apply the harissa paste along with the salt well to the chicken so that the marination coats the chicken well. Rub the marination into the cuts and under the skin and then refrigerate it until ready to cook. Marinate the chicken  for anywhere from an hour or overnight in the refrigerator.

Then next day or when ready to cook, apply oil well to the chicken and the grease a tray with oil. Arrange the chicken on the pan and cook in the preheated oven at 200°C for about 35 to 40 minutes. Half way through the baking time turn the side of the chicken. If you want the skin crisp then broil it for 5 minutes. 

Or you can grill the chicken on a grilling pan. Cooking on all the sides well till the chicken is cooked, I prefer the oven method, which is hassle free.

Serve and enjoy!! 

Labels: Grilled, Appetizer, Harissa Paste, Main course, Chicken, Oven Roasted, African, Sunday Funday, Side Dish, International Cuisine

Sunday Funday: African Cuisine 

• Cape Malay-ish Pineapple Chicken with Pineapple Salsa from Food Lust People Love
• Chicken and Jollof Rice (Nigerian) from Palatable Pastime
• East African Chapati from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Githeri from Mayuri's Jikoni
• Red Harissa Chicken from Sneha's Recipe
• Rgaif (Moroccan Flat Bread) from Karen's Kitchen Stories

Stuffed Cheesy Braided Turkish Kebab Bread Rolls#BreadBakers

This stuffed braided bread recipe is filled with Turkish Spiced Kebabs is absolutely delicious and impresses both with its glossy look and delightful taste. This simple and easy to make and you can serve this mouth watering rolls as snacks at any party.

Make 2 Rolls
Ingredients
For The Dough
150 Grams All Purpose Flour
3 Grams Instant Yeast
10 Grams Caster Sugar
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
2o Grams Butter
¼ Cup Warm Milk
Warm water to knead as required
1 Beaten Egg - Reserve 1 Tablespoon for Egg wash
Ingredients For The Stuffing
2 Turkish Spiced Chicken Kebabs
Provolone Cheese as required
1 Tablespoon Parsley Leaves
1 Tablespoon Chopped Chives
1 Tablespoon Beaten Egg - for brushing the top

Method

Knead dough with warm water and leave it aside covered till double in volume.

When the dough has risen , take on the work surface and deflate it, cut the dough into 2 equal parts. Take one part and the rest keep covered. 

Roll it into a oval disc. 

Place the cheese in center, place the kebab and sprinkle the chives and parsley on top. With a pizza cutter cut the sides in equal strips on other sides.

Fold each side so they overlap each other (like a braid). Keep going, left to right and right to left till the end. 

When reach the end, leave a tail at the bottom, just for the appearance. Grease a tray and place your bread.

Then bake in preheated oven on 190°C for 20 minutes till it browns on the top.

Right after taking out of oven, brush it with oil or butter let it rest on the wire rack for 5 minutes then cover it in a cling film so that it does not dry out.

Enjoy this yummy bread.

Labels: Breads, Stuffed Bread, Braided Bread, Chicken, Kebab, Turkey, Bread Bakers, Serves Two

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

This month's Bread Baker's theme is Spiced Breads.

• Ajwain Paratha from Cook with Renu
• Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Ginger Earl Grey Date Sourodugh Bread from A Messy Kitchen
• Fire roasted corn fritters from Palatable Pastime
• Sourdough Chocolate Cardamom Bread from Zesty South Indian Kitchen
• Overnight Sourdough Cinnamon Waffles from Food Lust People Love
• Stuffed Cheesy Braided Turkish Kebab Bread Rolls by Sneha's Recipe 

Kuku Paka#EattheWorld

Kuku Paka, a chicken-coconut curry, is a dish from Africa. The African word Kuku, which means chicken but what does Paka mean is unclear. It's a very delicious and comforting chicken gravy dish. Try it and you will love its it a Indian spices dish.

Ingredients

1 Kg Cleaned Chicken - make 14  to 16 pieces
1 Tin Coconut Milk  (400 ML)
2 Tomatoes - blended
1 Heaped  Teaspoon Salt  or to taste
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric  powder
1 Teaspoon Roasted Cumin powder
2 Tablespoons Lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Heaped All Purpose Flour 

1 Medium Onion - ground to paste
1/2 Cup Oil

For the Green Masala - grind to a fine paste  

1 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic paste

8 Green chilies   

½  Cup  Coriander leaves

Method

Marinate chicken with  salt, ground green masala  keep for an hour.

Heat oil in a kadai / pot  add onion paste and fry for 5 mins till light brown . Add marinated chicken. Fry well for 5 to 7 minutes. Add turmeric, cumin, tomatoes blended. Cover and cook for 10 mins. Add coconut milk. Cover and cook till chicken done say for  another 10 minutes. 

Lastly add flour paste stirring continuously till the gravy thick , according to the consistency you require . Now add lemon juice and take off flame.

Serve hot. 

We enjoyed this with whole wheat rotis / chapati

Labels : Coconut Milk, Chicken, African, Congo, International Cuisine, Eat the World, Main course

Check out all the wonderful Congolese dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Find out how to join Eat the World here and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us! 

 Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Moambe Chicken (Congo Poulet Moambe) Pandemonium Noshery: Dongo Dongo Sneha’s Recipe: Kuku Paka 

 A Day in the Life on the Farm: Kachumbari

Gluten-Free Quinoa Fusilli Pasta Ring#SundayFunday

This is a healthy pasta, quinoa pasta it's gluten free and delicious. I have noticed that when you normally cook pasta after cooling it clumps up, so requires to be oiled immediately. But that's not the case in this quinoa pasta it does not require oil after draining since it does not clump up after cooling. Loved the taste of this pasta.

Ingredients
2 Cups Gluten Free Quinoa pasta
1/3 Cup Chopped Carrot
1/3 Cup Chopped French Beans
1/3 Cup Parboiled Broccoli
1/3 Cup Boiled Shredded Chicken
1 Medium Onion - chopped
3 Big Cloves Garlic - finely chopped
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Tablespoon Pasta Sauce
¾ Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
1/3 Cup Half & Half
2 Large Eggs
Salt to taste
A Dash of Black Pepper Powder
½ Teaspoon Paprika powder

Method

Boil the Gluten free quinoa pasta till 80% done.
Strain the quinoa pasta and run through cold water.

In a pan, heat oil, add the onions and garlic sauté till raw aroma of the garlic vanishes, add the chopped beans and carrot sauté for a minute. Cover and cook till the carrots are half done. Then add the pasta sauce and paprika powder, sauté for a minute or two. Add the broccoli, shredded chicken and pasta. Stir to combine, add the salt and give it a good mix. Keep aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl add in eggs, half and half, pepper and salt whisk to combine well, add in the cooled pasta mixture and mix well till combined. Now add in 1/3 cup cheese and mix.

Grease a ring mold well with butter, sprinkle a little or the remaining cheese at the bottom. Press in the pasta mixture well, add the remaining cheese on the top. Tent the pan with a foil.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove the foil and bake again for another 20 minutes or till a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cool it for 10 minutes. Unmold and serve.

Delicious meal is ready!! Serve warm. 
Labels: Gluten free, Pasta & Noodles, Bundt, Quinoa, Egg, Chicken, Sunday Funday, Baked, Main course

Sunday Funday  - Noodle Ring Day

• Cheesy Noodle Ring with Creamy Shrimp and Scallops by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Gluten-Free Quinoa Fusilli Pasta Ring by Sneha’s Recipe
• Spaghetti & Meatballs Noodle Ring by Amy’s Cooking Adventures  

Chicken Dilruba#Improv

Chicken Dilruba is really a heart catching dish and a unique in its preparation too. The addition of saffron and almonds makes it different. It's a delicious blend of all the flavorful ingredients that turns the chicken into awesome main course dish, which is perfect to serve with roti, naan or paratha.

Ingredients
1 Kg Chicken in bone - cut into pieces
1 Teaspoon Green Chilies paste
2 Large Onions - grind to paste
¾ Cup Oil
10 Whole Almonds 10
10 Whole Cashew nuts 10
1½ Teaspoons Melon seeds
2 Teaspoons Red chili powder
½ Cup Milk
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
½ Teaspoon Saffron strands
1 Cup Yogurt - whisked
2 Teaspoons Ginger Garlic paste
1 Teaspoon Garam Masala powder
1 Teaspoon Heaped Roasted Cumin powder
1 Teaspoon Salt or to taste

Method

Grind almonds, cashew nuts and melon seeds to a fine paste with half of the milk.
In remaining milk add the saffron and keep it aside
In a large pan/kadai heat oil. Fry the onion paste until it start to change color. Then add ginger garlic paste and fry it nicely till the raw aroma goes. Add the chicken with and fry till it turns pink to white. Add the whisked yogurt and cook until oil separates. 

Then add the ground nuts paste with red chilly , turmeric, saffron, cumin powder, salt and ½ cup water.
Mix very well, cover with a lid and cook on low flame until chicken tender and oil surfaces, stirring after every 2 minutes. Now add the saffron milk and give it a good mix. Cover and let it simmer for another 3 - 4 minutes stirring in between. Switch off the flame . Serve hot with naan or paratha.

Enjoy this very delicious yummy tempting mouthwatering recipe which is easy to make and is tempting and mouthwatering like served at a restaurant.
Labels: Chicken, Improv Cooking Challenge, Main course

This month in Improv Cooking Challenge the theme is Chicken and Nuts.

Palatable Pastime - Fancy Nancy Chicken Salad
A Day in the Life on the Farm - Pecan Chicken with Maple Pecan Sauce
Sneha's Recipes - Chicken Dilruba  

Keto Moroccan Whole Oven Roasted Chicken#EatTheWorld

I made this chicken to take for our friends house warming party. This has a crispy skin. Brining the chicken will give you this result. Points to note. Do not brine the chicken for more than 24 hours. The chicken should be pat dry before your rub it with dry prepared rub.

Ingredients
1¼ Kg Whole Chicken
For The Brine
1 Red Onion - roughly chopped
4 Cloves Garlic - chopped
2 - 3 Whole Limes
½ Teaspoon Cardamom Powder
2 1/2 - 3 tablespoons Marrakesh Market Blend
2 Teaspoons Pink Himalayan Salt or Sea Salt
Other Ingredients
2 -3 Tablespoons Olive oil
For The Dry Rub
2 Teaspoons Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper powder
1 Teaspoon Cumin powder
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper powder

Method
For Brining The Chicken

Add all the ingredients in a large pot and the chicken, cover the chicken with water - enough to submerge it. Refrigerate it only for 24 hours. After 24 hours, wash the chicken well inside out with fresh water to remove all the excess salt. Place it on a wire rack to remove all the excess water in a sitting position. After 15 -20 minutes, dry this a clean cloth. The chicken should be pat dry or else you will not get a crispy skin.
For The Dry Rub

Mix the ingredients for the dry rub in a small bowl. Add the oil and mix it well in. Rub over the chicken. 

Place in a 9-inch x 13-inch roasting pan. Nestle a sliced lime in the cavity of the chicken and tie the legs with a thread. Roast it in a pre heated oven with both the elements on at 200°C for 1 hour tented with a foil. 

After an hour remove the foil, change the side / flip the side of the chicken again bake for 45 minutes to an hour or till the chicken is cooked when the thermometer inserted on the thicken part of the chicken reaches the temperature is 165°F / 74°C. Now broil ( only the top element on at 225°C degrees for 10 minute. 

The chicken is done to perfection. Take this out and serve hot.

My Notes

All nutritional data are estimated and based on per serving amounts.
Net Carbs per serving: 3 g

Labels: Eat the World, Moroccan, Middle Eastern, Chicken, Baked

 

Check out all the wonderful Moroccan dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us! 

 Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Kefta Tagine with Eggs in Tomato Sauce 

Culinary Adventures with Camilla : Briwat Bil Kefta + Other Moroccan-Inspired Bites 

Sneha’s Recipe: Keto Moroccan Whole Oven Roasted Chicken 

Sugarlovespices: Moroccan vegetable stew with butternut squash and chickpeas 

Palatable Pastime: Moroccan Roasted Cauliflower with Sesame 

Kitchen Frau: Grated Carrot Salad with Oranges 

Pandemonium Noshery: Bissara - Moroccan Legume Soup  

A Day in the Life on the Farm: Harira CulturEatz: Chicken Bastilla  

Magical Ingredients: Spicy Moroccan Vegetable Tagine