Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
African Chicken Curry – Kuku Paka Recipe
Are you prepared to find the world’s best curry?? As in, an actual one, constructed from scratch. Introducing – Kuku Paka! This chicken curry in a tomato coconut spiced sauce tastes like an Indian curry. Besides it’s African. And you may get every thing from common grocery shops!
Kuku Paka is an African-Indian coconut chicken curry that’s in style with Indian communities in East African international locations comparable to Kenya and Tanzania. Kuku means chicken in Swahili and Paka means scrumptious in Punjabi. Enjoyable to say. Scrumptious to eat!
It is a recipe that’s going to make curry lovers extraordinarily blissful as a result of it tastes like a legit Indian curry nevertheless it’s a lot simpler to make. No looking down uncommon spices! Simply common pantry ones – cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli – mixed with ginger, garlic, coconut milk and canned tomato.
Curry connoisseurs can be doubtful. How can it style legit for those who don’t must run throughout city looking for an obscure spice to make it?? Reply: as a result of hundreds of thousands of Africans can’t be improper!
Simply swing by your common grocery retailer and also you’ll discover every thing you want!
The chicken
The sauce will get a number of flavour from the chicken as a result of it doesn’t use chicken inventory. So I actually urge you to make use of bone-in, skin-on chicken items as they’re fattier and juicier so that they add extra flavour into the sauce. I like to make use of a mixture of thighs and drumsticks, however you could possibly simply use one or the opposite.
Nonetheless, you need to use boneless thighs and breast, although my caveat is that the sauce gained’t be fairly as flavourful. Instructions in recipe notes!
Kuku paka sauce
And right here’s every thing else you want:
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Spices – Cumin, coriander and turmeric for flavour. Chilli or cayenne pepper for spiciness! It’s not an excellent spicy curry however for those who’re involved in regards to the quantity of chilli, scale back or omit then you’ll be able to add it in on the finish, little by little.
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Onion, ginger and garlic – Fragrant flavour base. I actually urge you to make use of recent ginger and garlic, however for those who’re out and you might be decided to nonetheless make this, then substitute with 1 teaspoon of powder as an alternative (add with the opposite spices). I get it, I’ve been there!
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Coconut milk – Not all coconut milks are created equal! Economical ones are extra water and fewer coconut. I exploit Ayam (89% coconut). Low fats coconut milk will work however sauce can be thinner and never pretty much as good coconut flavour. You’ll be able to thicken with a teaspoon of cornflour combined with splash of water, add with coconut.
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Canned tomato – Use crushed or finely diced to make sure it breaks down within the simmer time for this recipe. Additionally, if you understand the model you utilize is kind of bitter (economical manufacturers can are usually) add a smidge of sugar.
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Coriander / cilantro – Some for stirring in, some for garnish. For those who’re a coriander hater, substitute with child spinach or parsley.
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Recent lemon juice – Only a bit, stirred in on the finish, to brighten up the sauce a bit. For those who don’t have lemon available, you’ll be able to substitute with apple cider vinegar.
Historically, the chicken is char grilled earlier than simmering within the sauce which provides additional flavour. To maintain this Monday-night pleasant, I’ve opted to pan sear. For those who fireplace up your grill for the chicken, I’ll be impressed!! 🙂
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Season and sear – Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, sear to brown the pores and skin, then take away onto a tray. The pores and skin aspect of the thighs will take round 4 to five minutes, then simply cook dinner the flesh aspect for 1 minute to seal the floor. As for the drumsticks, simply do the perfect you’ll be able to! I brown 3 sides, about 2 minutes on either side.
The chicken will nonetheless be uncooked of the within which is ok as a result of they end cooking within the sauce.
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Sauté aromatics and spices – Subsequent, give the onion a head begin on the sautéing earlier than including the ginger and garlic. As soon as the onion is softened, add the spices and cook dinner them for 30 seconds. This steps makes the flavour within the spices bloom!
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Sauce – Add the coconut milk, tomato and salt, then stir.
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Return chicken into the pot, together with any juices on the tray. Organize the chicken so it’s submerged as greatest as doable, although if some is poking out that’s okay as it’s going to steam-cook. Additionally, the chicken will shrink a bit because it cooks so they are going to match higher.
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Simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on, then 20 minutes with the lid off which is able to enable the sauce to scale back and thicken. Give it a stir from time to time to make sure the bottom isn’t catching.
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End & serve – Simply earlier than serving, stir within the recent lemon juice and half the coriander leaves. Serve over rice, garnished with the remaining coriander leaves!
A sauce this good calls for rice for soaking! Basmati rice is beneficial, although you need to use any plain rice, fake rice and even garlic rice (IMAGINE THAT!!).
Then to take it excessive, add a aspect of flatbreads for dunking / mopping. Do-it-yourself can be nice. However I’ve opted for frozen retailer purchased that’s truly Malaysian roti, not African. However that flaky buttery flatbread is 100% at house right here, because it was with the Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup (this roti goes world!)
It too comes from common grocery shops and I really like that it’s cooked from frozen in a pan. And flakes = additional sauce mopping talents.
Roti or not, I actually hope you do this recipe. It’s astoundingly good! – Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thigh fillets , skin-on and bone-in (~250g/8oz each) (Note 2)
- 4 chicken drumsticks (~150g / 5oz each) (Note 2)
- 3/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (or vegetable, canola or other plain oil) (Note 1)
- 1 onion , finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 2 tsp ginger , finely minced
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tbsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp pure chilli powder or cayenne pepper , reduce or omit to taste (Note 3)
- 400g / 14 oz coconut milk , full-fat (Note 4)
- 400g / 14 oz crushed canned tomato
- 1 1/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (sub apple cider vinegar)
- 1/2 cup (lightly packed) coriander/cilantro leaves (sub parsley or baby spinach, or omit)
- Basmati rice or other rice, and/or flatbreads or roti (pictured, Note 5)
Instructions
- Season chicken – Pat chicken dry using paper towels then sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
- Brown chicken – Heat oil in a large heavy based pot over high heat. Add the thighs, skin-side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Turn and cook the other side for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate (it will still be raw inside). Then brown the drumsticks as best you can. I do 3 sides, 2 minutes each side. Transfer to the plate.
- Sauté aromatics – Turn heat down to medium high. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute until softened. Add garlic and ginger, cook for 30 seconds. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and chilli. Stir for 30 seconds.
- Sauce – Add coconut milk, tomato and salt. Stir, then return chicken into the pot (including juices on the plate). Submerge chicken as best you can.
- Simmer 30 min – Once the sauce comes to a simmer, reduce the heat so it’s bubbling gently. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for a further 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the base doesn't catch.
- Finish & serve – Stir in lemon and half of the coriander. Lade into bowls and serve garnished with the rest of the coriander!
Notes
1. Coconut oil will give this extra coconut flavour, but you can use regular oil.
2. Chicken thighs and drumsticks are best because they stay juicy in the sauce simmer time required. Boneless thighs and breast will work but sauce flavour won’t be as good (see Ingredients section in post), but you can use them. Whole boneless thighs – sear per recipe then add back in for last 10 min of sauce simmer time. Breast – cut into bite size pieces, simmer only 5 min.
3. Pure chilli powder – not to be confused with US chili powder which is a spice mix. Pure chilli powder is spicy!Control spiciness – just leave the cayenne / chilli out and stir in bit by bit at the end.
4. Coconut milk – Not all coconut milks are created equal! Economical ones are more water and less coconut. I use Ayam (89% coconut). Low fat coconut milk will work but sauce will be thinner and not as good coconut flavour. You can thicken with a teaspoon of cornflour mixed with splash of water, add with coconut.
5. Roti – I am a little obsessed with store bought frozen rotis, the flaky flatbreads that can be cooked from frozen! Readily available at regular grocery stores these days.
6. Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings, excluding roti, rice etc.
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