Tender Chicken in a Spicy Curry and Prune Sauce

That curry powder I've been writing about in my last post was used in this succulent chicken dish. It's a mix of Persian and South East Asian cuisine that complement each other very well. Any good flavourful dish needs that extra kick in aroma by using a little teaspoon of a freshly made curry powder.

This dish has been one of my favourites and my dearest friends for a while now. The chicken melts in your mouth and the sauce is incredibly velvety that we hardly leave a drop of it in our plates.

The prunes, pre-soaked in warm water, adds such an interesting fruity flavour without overpowering the dish with sweetness. It is very easy to make as you simply mix all the ingredients together and leave it on low heat to simmer for no more than 30 minutes. Chicken thighs cook very quickly and become very tender when cooked slowly over low heat.

Recipe "au pif":
4 skinless chicken legs (includes drumstick and thighs)
2 medium sized yellow onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tsp flour
1/3 cup red wine
10 prunes, pre-soaked in warm water for 30 minutes, water discarded
1 tsp hot chili paste
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp good quality curry powder (hot or mild - your preference)
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups boiling water
2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
Fresh coriander to garnish

Heat oil in large deep sauce pan on medium low heat.

Brown the chicken on both sides. Put aside.

Add in the onions, garlic and stir until the onions have softened.

Add in the flour and the wine and stir for about 2 minutes. You should have a thick and velvety texture.

Add in the tomato paste, the chili paste, dijon mustard, curry powder and stir for about 1 minute.

Add in the chicken legs and pour in the boiling water, enough so that the chicken is covered just at the surface.

Add in the bay leaf and the prunes.

Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Cook until the prunes are slightly softened and almost disintegrated.

Serve with brown basmati rice, cooked in water which was drizzled with a bit of oil and melted garlic butter. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Serves 4 people.

Share and enjoy.