Ingredients
- THIS RECIPE CAME TO MY GRANDMOTHER FROM A GOAN NEIGHBOR WHEN MY GRANDFATHER WAS STATIONED IN VASCO.
- MANY GOAN DISHES ARE A FUSION OF INDIAN AND PORTUGUESE CULINARY TRADITIONS BUT IN THE CASE OF CAFREAL THERE ARE ALSO ELEMENTS OF AFRICAN CUISINE. GALINHA IS CHICKEN IN PORTUGUESE.
- THE USE OF VINEGAR AND RUM COMES FROM EUROPE WHILE THE SPICES ARE OF INDIAN ORIGIN.
- PERI-PERI CHILLIES OR AFRICAN BIRD CHILLI ALSO CALLED PIMENT MALAGET WAS BROUGHT TO GOA BY THE PORTUGUESE WHO COLONIZED MOZAMBIQUE IN SOUTH EAST AFRICA FROM 1505 FOR NEARLY 4 CENTURIES. THE DISH 'FRANGO A CAFRIAL' IS STILL EATEN IN MOZAMBIQUE.
- AT HOME IN GOA WE CALL PERI PERI 'TAROTI MIRSANGI' IN KONKANI. THIS SMALL BIRD CHILLI IS SPICIER THAN THE GENERIC INDIAN GREEN CHILLI.
- THIS DISH IS ALSO POPULAR AMONG THE MACANESE - A COMMUNITY OF CHINESE AND PORTUGUESE ORIGIN FROM MACAO.
- IN AFRICA AND MACAO THE CHICKEN IS GRILLED OR ROASTED. WHILE MOST GOAN RESTAURANTS WILL SERVE YOU A PAN SAUTEED VERSION, TYPICAL OF THE INDIAN STYLE OF COOKING FAVORED BY EUROPEANS.
- THIS DISH IS TRADITIONALLY PREPARED WITH CHICKEN AND SERVED WITH POTATO WEDGES AND BREAD (UNDDO OR PAO) BUT YOU CAN USE HARDBOILED EGGS OR BOILED POTATOES IF YOU ARE VEGETARIAN SINCE THE MASALA ITSELF IS PURE VEGETARIAN.
- 1 KG BONELESS CHICKEN CUT INTO 2.5 INCH PIECES OR 8 HARDBOILED AND PEELED EGGS (FOR VEGETARIANS)
- 1/2 TEASPOON TURMERIC POWDER
- 1 TEASPOON SALT
- 1/2 CUP CHICKEN STOCK
- GREEN MASALA
- 150 GRAMS OF WASHED CORIANDER LEAVES WITH 2 INCHES OF STALKS (NO ROOTS) CHOPPED
- 4-6 YOUNG GREEN PIRI PIRI OR TAROTI MISRANGI (ABOUT 3/4 INCH) OR INDIAN GREEN CHILLIES (1.25 INCHES LONG APPROXIMATELY OR ADJUST TO TASTE) STALKS REMOVED
- 1 TEASPOON SUGAR
- SPICE PASTE
- 2 TBSP GARLIC PASTE
- 2 TBSP GINGER PASTE
- 8 CLOVES
- 6 BLACK PEPPERCORNS
- 1 TEASPOON CUMIN SEEDS
- 3 INCHES CINNAMON STICK
- 1/4 CUP CHOPPED WHITE OR RED ONION
- TO SAUTE
- 4 TBSP VEGETABLE OIL
- 1/2 CUP FINELY CHOPPED WHITE OR RED ONION
- 4 COOKING POTATOES , PEELED SLICED AND BAKED OR PAN FRIED
- TO GARNISH
- 1 TSP SUGARCANE VINEGAR OPTIONALLY WHITE VINEGAR
- ACCOMPANIMENTS
- FRENCH FRIES, BAKED POTATO WEDGES, PAN FRIED SLICED POTATOES
- SAVORY SOFT OR HARD GOAN PAO OR PORTUGUESE BUNS OR CHAPPATIS
Instructions
- WASH, DRAIN THE CHICKEN. ADD SALT AND TURMERIC.
- COVER, PLACE OVER A BOWL TO DRAIN AND RESERVE.
- USING THE BONES, YOU COULD PREPARE STOCK OR USE READYMADE STOCK.
- GREEN MASALA
- PUREE THE CILANTRO , SUGAR AND GREEN CHILLIES AND RESERVE. USE SOME OF THE CHICKEN STOCK IF REQUIRED TO FACILITATE GRINDING. RESERVE.
- SPICE PASTE
- GRIND THE WHOLE SPICES-CLOVES, PEPPERCORNS, CUMIN AND CINNAMON TO A SMOOTH AND FINE POWDER. ADD 1/4 CUP ONION AND 1 TEASPOON SALT AND GRIND TO A SMOOTH PASTE. RESERVE.
- HEAT OIL IN A SKILLET ON MEDIUM HEAT. ADD 1/2 CUP CHOPPED ONIONS AND SAUTE UNTIL TRANSLUCENT.
- ADD GARLIC AND GINGER PASTE AND SAUTE UNTIL FRAGRANT ABOUT 2 MINUTES.
- ADD DRAINED CHICKEN AND TOSS TO SEAR ABOUT ONE MINUTE. IF YOU ARE USING EGGS SKIP THIS STEP AND MOVE TO THE NEXT.
- ADD GROUND WHOLE SPICE AND ONION PASTE AND TOSS TO COAT ABOUT 1 MINUTE.
- STIR IN 1/2 CUP STOCK, LOWER FLAME TO LOW AND COOK CHICKEN 10 MINUTES TOSSING TO PREVENT BURNING.
- ADD CILANTRO AND CHILLI PASTE WHEN CHICKEN IS ALMOST ENTIRELY COOKED. MIX WELL.
- COOK ON LOW FLAME UNTIL CHICKEN IS DONE. IF THE CHICKEN APPEARS DRY- CAFREAL HAS A THICK GRAVY-ADD THE LIQUID DRAINED FROM TEH CHICKE PIECES AND COOK ANOTHER 2-3 MINUTES ON A SLOW FLAME.
- SWITCH OFF FLAME. STIR IN RUM AND VINEGAR AND SALT TO TASTE. IF USING EGGS SLICE THEM IN HALF AND LAY THEM OVER THE MASALA.
- SERVE HOT WITH POTATO WEDGES, BRUN PAO, ROLLS OR CHAPPATIS.
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