Yudhika Sujanani takes your taste buds on a spice adventure as she shows you how to revamp “old favorites “dishes with a bit sugar and a hint of spice. On the menu is a delicious French Casserole with a touch of Saffron, an aromatic Egyptian spiced Dukkah Spiced Butternut & Prawn Salad [1] and for dessert; she prepares a gorgeous Chocolate Pecan Nut pie with Dates [2].
Ingredients
- 8 large chicken thighs, skin on
- 20ml sunflower oil, to seal chicken
- 30ml sunflower oil
- 12 – 15 cloves garlic, in their skins
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 – 2 bay leaves
- 5ml cumin seeds
- 5ml coriander seeds
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- Pinch of salt
- 1 large leek, chopped or thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot, sliced
- 5ml green chilli
- 10ml chilli flakes
- 250ml white wine
- Pinch of saffron
- 1 stock cube
- 250ml boiled water
- 2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained
- 30ml honey
- Chopped parsley, to garnish
- Chopped coriander, to garnish
Method
- Heat a pan and pour in the sunflower oil.
- Place the thighs into the pan with the skin side facing down.
- Turn them over when the skin is golden brown and remove from the pan when the chicken thighs are evenly browned.
- Heat a 30cm gourmet roaster ( or shallow pot )and heat 30ml sunflower oil.
- Fry the garlic cloves in their skins until pale golden.
- Remove the cloves from the oil and leave aside.
- In the same oil, add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cumin and coriander seeds.
- Fry the whole spices until fragrant and turn a shade darker.
- Add the chopped onion and season with salt.
- Fry until the onion is light golden, then add the leeks and carrots.
- When the carrots and leeks soften slightly, add the green chilli, chilli flakes and garlic cloves.
- Place the sealed chicken into the roaster and pour in the white wine.
- Sprinkle the saffron strands into the pan and pour in the boiled water.
- Crumble the stock cube over the chicken.
- Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add the chickpeas and honey.
- Simmer until the chickpeas heat through, soften and absorb the sauce.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and chopped parsley.