Coconut Curried Chicken Stew from Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge

Coconut Curried Chicken Stew

Curry powder is a wonderfully aromatic spice that is most associated with Indian cooking. The spice is a key element in this restaurant recipe request from Boma — The Flavors of Africa at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. The recipe from our 2003 archive is Coconut Curried Chicken Stew, a wonderful melange of poultry and vegetables.

A roux (roo), a cooked blend of butter and flour, is used to thicken the sauce. Coconut milk completes the stew liquid. Look for cans of coconut milk in supermarkets. It is not the liquid that is drained from a whole coconut. Coconut milk is made by combining equal parts water and shredded fresh or desiccated coconut meat and simmering until foamy, according to Sharon Tyler Herbst’s The New Food Lover’s Companion. The mixture is then strained through cheesecloth, squeezing as much of the liquid as possible from the coconut meat. The coconut meat can be combined with water again for a second, diluted batch of coconut milk. (Coconut cream is made in the same manner, but enriches the mix by using 1 part water or milk to 4 parts coconut.)

COCONUT CURRIED CHICKEN STEW FROM BOMA AT DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE
Yield: 4 servings.

1 chicken cut into 8 pieces

Salt and ground pepper to taste

2 1/2 tablespoons curry powder, toasted

3 tablespoons canola oil

6 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup flour

4 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup canned, diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup each, diced chunky: potatoes red bell peppers, onions
1/2 minced jalapeno
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup each: honey, chopped cilantro

1. Season chicken with salt, pepper, curry powder. Sear chicken in oil in 4-quart pot. Cook until almost done. Remove chicken. Pour out excess oil.
2. Add butter to same pan. Stir in flour. Stir in stock, cayenne pepper, tomatoes. Add honey, potatoes, bell peppers, onions, jalapenos, coconut milk. Return chicken to pot. Bring to boil to finish cooking and thicken liquid.
3. Put chicken in serving bowl. Ladle sauce on top. Garnish with cilantro.