I have been a fan of Christopher Kimball and his America’s Test Kitchen for years, and was confused when he seemed suddenly all over the place promoting Milk Street magazine and cookbooks. It seems they had an acrimonious parting of the ways a few years back and Christopher wasn’t anywhere near ready to stay quietly home in Vermont. Where America’s Test Kitchen’s focus is making the best versions of familiar dishes, Milk Street takes you out into the worlds cultures so that adventuresome home cooks could try new techniques and ingredients. I think we all benefit from this split – two great sources for recipes instead of one!
This is a variation of the popular chicken dish Kuku Pake from the coastal city of Mombasa. It’s like a curry, with a few different ingredients. We thought it was wonderful with rice and a green vegetable. Leftovers reheat well.
2 pounds boneless,skinless chicken thighs, trimmed halved and patted dry
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. neutral oil
4 medium garlic cloves, chopped
2 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
1 Tbs. fresh ginger, finely grated
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped
Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a 12-inch skillet over medium high heat, heat the oil. Add half the chicken and brown without disturbing for 3-5 minutes per side.
Transfer to a bowl and repeat with remaining chicken.
To the skillet, add garlic, jalapeno chiles, ginger and ground coriander. Cook stirring until fragrant; just 30-60 seconds.
Stir in tomatoes with their juices, scraping up any browned bits. Then stir in coconut milk and water. Add chicken and any juices and cook uncovered, stirring and flipping occasionally, until a skewer inserted into the largest piece meets no resistance, 20-25 minutes.
Turn off heat and stir in lemon juice and fresh cilantro. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serves 4.
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