Ingredients
- 40 g piece fresh ginger skin and all
- 40 g garlic about 12 cloves, peeled
- 30 g mint leaves
- 8 tbsp 30g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- 2 large green chillies stems removed
- 150 g Greek-style yoghurt
- 2-3 lemons – 1 finely zested to get 2 tsp, and all 3 juiced, to get 75ml juice (1 tbsp to use in the yoghurt)
- 2 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Salt
- 7 cardamom pods
- 9 cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 500 g skinless and boneless chicken thighs cut into 3cm cubes
- 60 ml olive oil
- 500 g onions about 3 medium ones, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 500 ml sunflower oil
- 500 g red potatoes or any other non-waxy variety, cut into 1½cm cubes
For the mint yoghurt
- 30 g mint leaves
- 150 g Greek-style yoghurt
Instructions
- In a food processor, blitz the ginger, garlic, mint, coriander, chillies, yoghurt, lemon zest and four tablespoons of the lemon juice until smooth. Add the ground cumin, ground coriander and black pepper, half a tablespoon of salt and 300ml water, and mix well. Stir in the cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon, then scrape out into a medium bowl. Add the chicken to the bowl, toss to coat and leave to marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (or refrigerate and marinate overnight).
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- Meanwhile, set a large saucepan for which you have a lid on a medium heat, add the oil and, once hot, add the onions, sugar and half a teaspoon of salt, and fry for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer half the onion mix to a small bowl and set aside.
- Put the chicken and its marinade in the pan with the remaining onions, cover the pot and leave to cook for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice to prevent sticking.
- Meanwhile, make the mint yoghurt. Blitz the mint, yoghurt, the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice and a teaspoon of salt until smooth, then scrape out into a small bowl and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, heat the sunflower oil on a medium heat and, once hot, fry the potatoes, turning regularly, for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked potatoes to a large plate lined with kitchen paper, to drain, season with a teaspoon of salt and set aside.
- Divide the chicken mixture between four bowls, top with the onions and fried potatoes, finish with a spoonful of mint yoghurt and serve.
Notes
Poule is Mauritian Creole for chicken, and this dish is often used as the base for a Mauritian-style biryani. It has such a distinctive aroma that native Mauritians can smell it cooking from a mile away, which often leads to neighbours popping by for a “chat” and staying over for lunch. Kalia poule is often served at weekends and on special occasions. I have used red potatoes, but you can use any non-waxy potatoes.
