For those who’re searching for a dish that tells the story of Macau by taste, African Rooster—or galinha à africana—is it. Regardless of its title, this spicy, richly sauced rooster isn’t historically African. As an alternative, it’s a uniquely Macanese creation, born out of a collision of cultures through the Portuguese colonial period. The dish is a melting pot, indicated by its historical past and ingredient record – oyster sauce, curry powder, coconut milk, peanut butter, and olive oil, multi function pot.
What Is African Rooster?
African Rooster is a beloved Macanese dish that includes bone-in rooster marinated and grilled (or roasted), then coated in a posh sauce made with peanut butter, coconut milk, spices, and typically a contact of chili warmth. The flavour is daring and layered—earthy from the peanuts, fragrant with spices like paprika and bay leaves, and comfortingly creamy.
What makes this dish particular
There are lots of totally different variations of African rooster. I encountered this dish in Macau again in 2012. The rooster is normally reduce to bite-size bone-in items, grilled, then made right into a stew. The dish normally features a very lengthy record of elements to create a posh, but balanced and comforting taste. When making an attempt to recreate it at residence, I did just a few issues that simplified the method with out sacrificing the flavour:
- Entire items of bone-in skin-on items are used: This makes prep simpler and nonetheless retains the feel of the unique dish.
- The rooster is pan fried till crispy, then baked: It makes the method extra streamlined with out utilizing a grill. It additionally ensures the rooster pores and skin to be crispy, and retains the meat juicy.
- Loads of potatoes and peppers are cooked collectively, making it a nice one-pot dinner.
Elements
The ingredient record would possibly look lengthy, however a lot of the elements in African rooster are pantry staples:
- Rooster and spice rub – curry powder, paprika, salt: It creates a smoky coating that’s stuffed with taste.
- Aromatics – onion, ginger and garlic: Incessantly utilized in Chinese language cooking, these recent aromatics add a variety of perfume to the dish.
- Curry base elements – Gentle curry powder, paprika, chili flakes, bay leaves, peanut butter, rooster inventory, oyster sauce, coconut milk: All of the elements work collectively to make a wealthy sauce that’s creamy, nutty, aromatic and barely spicy.
- Greens – potatoes and pepper: Add texture and colour to the dish.
The right way to make African rooster
- Rub the spice combine everywhere in the meat facet of the rooster and sprinkle salt over the pores and skin. I keep away from utilizing the spice combine on the pores and skin of the thigh items, as a result of the pan frying course of can simply burn the spices with out getting the pores and skin crispy.
- Pan fry the rooster till the pores and skin is crispy. On the spiced sides, it is best to solely gently prepare dinner it till the spices are toasted, to keep away from burning.
- Saute the aromatics to launch perfume, then toast the curry spices.
- Add the sauces and potatoes, then braise on the stovetop for 5 minutes. Then add the pepper and rooster. Bake for 45 minutes.
As soon as accomplished, the pores and skin on the rooster items stays crispy and the meat juicy and flavorful. The greens are tender, soaked within the tremendous wealthy peanut coconut curry sauce. It tastes so good!
Totally different variations of African rooster
- Recreate a extra genuine taste utilizing the grill
That is probably the most genuine approach to prepare dinner African rooster, to create a properly charred floor and a smoky taste. For those who use a grill, you possibly can rub the rooster items with the spice combine with out avoiding the pores and skin. The pores and skin will prepare dinner properly on the grill, even with spices on.
- Use boneless rooster items to scale back cooking time
For those who want to make use of boneless rooster, that’s completely nice! On this case, reduce the rooster into giant bite-sized items so it absorbs extra taste. Additionally, you will want to regulate the cooking time accordingly. On this case, bake it within the oven for half-hour.
- Braise every thing collectively on the stovetop solely
Regardless of whether or not you employ bone-in skin-on rooster items or boneless skinless rooster, you possibly can prepare dinner this dish over the range by braising every thing collectively. The good thing about cooking within the oven is to create a crispy rooster pores and skin. If crispy pores and skin just isn’t necessary for you, be happy to complete cooking the dish on the range. On this case, you possibly can add all of the braising elements collectively and simmer lined over medium-low warmth till the rooster is cooked by. It takes half-hour or so for bone-in items, and quarter-hour for boneless items.
The right way to serve African rooster
You may serve African rooster by itself as a most important dish. With the potato and pepper, it makes an important one-pan dinner. In Macau, this dish is usually served with steamed white rice. The rice soaks up the wealthy curry sauce and tastes nice. For me, the dish additionally tastes nice over boiled noodles.
You probably have leftovers, the flavors will develop additional and the dish will style even higher the subsequent day!
Different one-pan recipes
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African rooster options juicy rooster with crispy pores and skin, tender potato, and colourful peppers elevated by a peanut butter and coconut primarily based curry sauce. Candy, savory, nutty, and spicy! And all of it comes collectively in a single pan, fuss-free. {Gluten-Free Adaptable}
Stop your display from going darkish
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
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Mix the 1/2 tablespoon curry powder, 1/2 tablespoon paprika, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. For thigh items, rub the spice combination over the rooster meat, leaving the pores and skin. Generously sprinkle salt over rooster pores and skin. Sprinkle the spices evenly over the leg items. Let marinate whereas getting ready the opposite elements.
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Warmth 1 tablespoon oil in a 12” oven-safe skillet (*Footnote 2) over medium-high warmth till it shimmers. Add rooster, pores and skin facet down. Prepare dinner over medium warmth till the pores and skin turns golden crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Then flip to prepare dinner the spiced facet till simply toasted, 1 minute or so. For the leg items, prepare dinner, rotating sometimes, till all sides are toasted however not burned, about 1 minute per facet. Flip off the warmth. Switch rooster to a plate.
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Add the remaining of the 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the identical pan and switch to medium warmth. Add the onion. Prepare dinner till softened, 2 to three minutes. Add ginger and garlic. Stir fry for 30 seconds, to launch the aroma.
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Add paprika and curry powder. Stir till the elements are nicely coated with spices, 20 to 30 seconds.
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Add rooster inventory, coconut milk, peanut butter, oyster sauce, bay leaves and potato. Stir with a spatula to dissolve the peanut butter till it’s nicely blended with the sauce. Deliver to a boil and simmer for five minutes (*Footnote 2). Add the pepper and prime with the rooster with out overlapping the items, pores and skin facet up. Switch to the oven. Bake till the rooster is cooked by and the pores and skin crispy, about 45 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serve sizzling by itself or over steamed rice as a most important dish.
Ingredient Substitution Information
- Boneless skinless thigh or rooster breast will work too. On this case, change baking time to 30 to 35 minutes, till the interior temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- In case your pan just isn’t oven protected: After braising the potato, flip off the warmth and switch every thing to a 2 qt baking dish.
- To make this dish gluten-free: Make certain to make use of a gluten-free oyster sauce.
