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Cape Malay chicken curry with yellow rice in a rustic bowl

Cape Malay Chicken Curry

Fragrant, slightly sweet curry with a hint of fruit.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Cape Malay, South African
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main dish ingredients
  • 1 kg chicken pieces
  • 2 tbsp oil or butter
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp Cape Malay curry powder See below ingredients and instructions. Bulk prep.
  • 2 tomatoes chopped
  • 1 cup coconut milk or water
  • 2 tbsp apricot jam or chutney
  • Salt to taste
Cape Malay Curry Powder Blend
  • 4 Tbsp Coriander seeds whole To be toasted and ground
  • 2 Tbsp Cumin seeds whole To be toasted and ground
  • 1 Tbsp Fennel seeds whole To be toasted and ground
  • 15 pods Cardamom pods Crushed, husks discarded
  • 2 sticks Cinnamon approx. 3 inches each To be added whole to the curry
  • 2 Tbsp Turmeric Ground
  • 1 Tbsp Fenugreek Ground
  • 1 tsp Black peppercorns whole To be toasted and ground
  • 2 Dried mild red chilies (small) Adjust based on desired hotness!
  • 6 Cloves whole To be toasted and ground
  • 2-3 Bay leaves To be added whole to the curry

Equipment

  • 1 Chopping board
  • 1 Chopping knife
  • 2 Wooden Spoon
  • 1 Pot
  • 1 Stove top
  • 1 Electric Spice Grinder/Mortar and Pestle To grind your toasted whole spices
  • 1 Pan To toast spices

Method
 

Cape Malay Spice Powder Blend
  1. Toast in a dry pan over medium heat, gently toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, and dried chilies until they are fragrant. Be careful not to burn them. (About 5 minutes, 8min max)
  2. Allow the toasted spices to cool completely.
  3. Once cool, combine the toasted spices with the husked cardamom seeds, fenugreek, and turmeric in a spice grinder. Grind to a fine powder.
Main Dish Ingredients
  1. Fry onion until golden; add garlic and ginger.
  2. Add 2 Tbsp of spices; cook 1 min.
  3. Add chicken; brown lightly.
  4. Add tomatoes, chutney, and coconut milk.
  5. Simmer 40 min until tender and sauce thickens.
  6. Adjust seasoning; garnish with coriander.

Notes

Serve with basmati rice, roti, yellow rice↗ or mash as a staple side.  Pair with atchar↗ or sambals ↗ to combine hotness with a cool refresher that enhances the curry aromas.
Store your spice correctly:   Keep the spice blend in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. The cinnamon sticks and bay leaves should be stored separately and added to your curry pot whole, as specified in your recipe's method.
When preparing your chicken curry, you will typically use 2-3 tablespoons of this spice blend per 1 kg of chicken, along with fresh aromatics like ginger, garlic, and the essential sweet-and-sour components (fruit chutney/apricot jam and vinegar/lemon juice) that give Cape Malay curry its distinctive flavor profile.
Nutrition (per serving):
 Calories: 360 | Protein: 33g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 12g | Fibre: 3g