Chicken cari

Chicken cari

Something I love about Reunion Island’s cuisine is that it is all about loving, sharing and spending time with family. There’s often a huge amount of food to share and that is really something to appreciate.

It’s been almost two years since my husband has not seen his parents. The plane tickets are very expensive but we plan to go there in Septembre with our new bundle of joy. Grandma & Grandpa will get to see their Granddaughter and we will get to rest in the sun and eat loads of good food, great deal.

He misses his island, so I try (as often as I can) to make him some dishes that brings him back there. His mother taught me how to make the cari and his father offered me a great cookbook with a lot of traditional recipes. I know the taste isn’t the same of his mother’s one but I try my best and he seems to be happy with my version for now (no choice anyway hah).

Use whatever chicken you like, you can buy it whole and cut it or do it with drumsticks and thighs. It is up to you.

It is traditionally served with white basmati rice, so this is how we did it.

Chicken cari (serves 5-6) :
  • 1kg chicken
  • 5 tomatoes
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 20g ginger
  • 1 pinch curcuma
  • Thyme
  • 2-3 onions
  • Vegetable oil
  • Fresh or dry chili to taste (here 2 bird’s eye)

Cut your tomatoes into little pieces. Thinly slice your onions.

Crush your garlic cloves with the ginger, chili, thyme and a little bit of salt until it comes into a thick paste (that smells heavenly).

Heat a pan over medium-high heat with a little bit of vegetable oil. Brown your chicken on every sides. When your chicken is browned, take it out of the pan and fry the onions.

When the onions are fried enough, add your garlic-ginger paste and stir for a good 2-3 minutes. Then add the curcuma, stir.

Add your tomatoes, stir and cover. Let it cook for 10 minutes. Add your chicken back in the pan and stir well to combine everything. Let it cook another 7-10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Eat with white rice.