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Galinha Cafreal (Goan Chicken Curry)

September 8, 2023 By Karl Leave a Comment

Oh, this is so good! This somewhat spicy curry is outstanding and goes well with Basmati rice or naan.

It’s interesting to note that many dishes from Goa (West coast of India) have a strong Portuguese influence, as does this one. Many Goan dishes are really fiery, but this one is not.

The recipe you see here is derived from the many different recipes of this dish floating around the web.

What you’ll need

  • 3 large chicken legs with thighs (I just used 5 large boneless thighs)
  • 1-2T neutral oil or ghee
  • 3 onions, 2 coarsely chopped, 1 finely chopped—keep the coarse and fine separated
  • 6 large sprigs of cilantro
  • 2T whole coriander seeds
  • 4t whole cumin seeds
  • 2T ground black pepper
  • 4T garam masala
  • 6T lemon juice
  • 2- or 3-inch piece of ginger chopped (you can remove the skin if you want)
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 3 large green chilies, coarsely chopped

What to do

Process 2 of the onions and all following above-listed ingredients in a small food processor. The result will be a thick aromatic paste. The coriander and cumin seeds will be just broken up, which is exactly what you want.

Put the curry paste into a bowl with the chicken and ensure the pieces are completely covered with the curry. Let it sit for 1-3 hours covered and refrigerated.

When you’re ready to cook, add the oil to a kadai, wok or large frypan and sauté the remaining onion over medium heat until it softens. Add the chicken and all of the spice paste and fry for a few minutes, before adding about 1.5 cups of water.

Cook the chicken, covered for 20-35 minutes at a medium simmer, until the chicken is cooked through, and the water has cooked off, leaving a paste covering the chicken. You may have to cook it a bit more uncovered to cook off the water.

Serve with Basmati rice, naan or some other type of flatbread.

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Filed Under: Chicken, Gluten Free, Indian, Low carb/Low GI/Low GL

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