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SRC Orphan Rescue: Chicken Cafrael


I'm on Orphan-detail today for the Secret Recipe Club - for someone in my own group - and I am thrilled to be cooking from Searching for Spice.

One of the reasons I always volunteer to help out an SRC orphan is to meet new foodie bloggers. But, in this case, I've been reading Corina's blog for a little while now. So, I was doubly happy to help out.

Corina, like me, loves using spices and discovering new ones. Some of her favorite recipes are curries, stir fries and spicy salads. And as a mom of two, like me, she doesn't have time to spend hours in the kitchen and many of her recipes are quick and easy to make. A woman after my own heart. If you haven't have a chance to explore her blog, do!

There are so many recipes I love on this blog. On my short-list: Cassoulet with Confit Duck, Tepsi Baytinijan, Lamb Rogan Josh, and Piadina.

Today, pressed for time with this orphan rescue, I opted to do her Chicken Cafrael. It's a completely new-to-me dish. It’s a Goan dish of chicken, marinated in a vinegary green masala, which is then grilled, fried or baked. I opted for the grilled version because all I had to do was marinate it and my Grill-Master did the rest. Sweet deal for dinner! I did adapt a little to use what I had on hand.

Ingredients
  • 1 star anise pod
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 t coriander seeds
  • 1 t rainbow peppercorns
  • 1/2 stick of cinnamon
  • 1 T minced garlic
  • 1 T ginger paste
  • 1 C fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 C vinegar
  • 1/4 C olive oil
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/2 C roasted, chopped green chiles

Procedure
Grind the whole spices in a pestle and mortar. Then put all the ingredients except the chicken and the green peppers in a blender.


Blend to a paste. Add in vinegar and olive oil until desired thickness.


Pour the sauce over the chicken and add in the peppers. Toss to coat the chicken. Let marinade for at least an hour.


Grill till done. I served this with a steamed coconut rice and grilled bok choy. It was an awesome poolside dinner! Thanks, Corina, for the inspiration.

Comments

  1. Wow!! I love the flavors here!! Fabulous post!

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  2. I'm so glad you liked this! Thanks for rescuing me from being an orphan too.

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  3. Sounds so flavorful! Lovely SRC choice!

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  4. Those flavours sound amazing! What a great dish.

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  5. Wow--something totally different but seems easy and delicious.

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  6. Your Chicken Cafrael looks like a very flavorful dish, I will look forward to trying this one.
    Great recipe for the SRC!
    Miz Helen

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  7. Interesting. I have never heard of this dish before but it looks really good! Another great choice for the SRC!

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  8. What a interesting recipe! And I love the fact that you had star anise on hand. Now that's a stocked kitchen. Visiting from SRC B!

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  9. YUM! The spices on this chicken look SO good! :)

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  10. Yum! Looks like you have lots of tasty seasonings mixed in there. :)

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