Recipe

February 26, 2021

Curry Chicken Roti

Recipe: Roger Mooking

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“When I’m on the road for work, the thing I seek out the most is a Trini roti, which can be very hard to find,” says Roger Mooking, Food Network Canada and Cooking Channel host. “With the pandemic, the jonesin’ for roti came a lot more than I expected, and I cooked it quite often. It’s my comfort food, along with pho and pierogies with kielbasa — but not all at the same time! Roti is that food you don’t need an excuse for, or an explanation for why you need it in your life… you just do.”

Ingredients

Marinade

  • 3⁄4 cup fresh cilantro
  • 1⁄2 cup fresh parsley
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1⁄2  tsp kosher salt
  • 1⁄2  tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs (about 1.2 kg), each thigh cut into 3 pieces

Curry

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 tbsp mild curry powder (preferably Lalah’s brand)
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
  • 2 1⁄2 cups peeled, diced white potato (about 1 large)
  • 1 540 mL can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Dhal Puri roti skins
  • Hot sauce, to taste (Yellow Caribbean-style Scotch Bonnet sauce recommended)
  • Paper bags

Directions

Yield: Serves 6

Prepare Marinade

  1. In food processor, combine cilantro, parsley, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, oil, salt and ground peppercorns. Pulse until mixture is a paste; small pieces of herbs should be visible.
  2. Evenly coat chicken thighs with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.

Cook Curry

  1. In large pot, bring coconut oil to medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic. Sauté until very dark golden brown, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add curry powder and cook for 1 minute, then add chicken pieces, including marinade.
  2. Let moisture from marinade cook out slightly, allowing chicken to sear, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add stock, gently scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon to lift up browned bits.
  3. Bring mixture up to simmer and cook for 15 minutes, then add in diced potatoes. Return to simmer for another 15 minutes, then add chickpeas. Stir and simmer, uncovered, for 20 more minutes.
  4. To thicken curry slightly, smash chickpeas and potatoes with fork against side of pot and fold back into sauce. Simmer to let flavors come together. Season with salt, to taste. Keep warm.

Assemble Roti 

  1. For each serving, place roti skin on top of equal-size square of wax paper. Scoop generous amount of curry chicken (about 3 pieces of chicken, with even amount of potatoes, chickpeas and sauce) onto centre of roti skin. Season with hot sauce.
  2. Fold over left side of circle, then right, followed by top and bottom edges, forming firmly packed rectangle. Flip your filled roti, seam-side down on wax paper. Roll paper up firmly, folding open ends in to seal. Place whole package into paper bag. Enjoy a taste of Trinidad!
Photographer:

Roger Mooking

Source:

House & Home January/February 2021

Tags: Chicken Chickpea Chickpeas Curry Recipe Recipes

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