Indo-Fijian Chicken Curry

Maybe the most iconic and nostalgic of Indo-Fijian curries - a chicken curry feels, smells, and tastes like home.

1 whole chicken (1.8kg to 2.2kg) 

1/3 cup of garlic cloves 

5 chillies (less if you can’t handle the heat) 

1 inch of a piece of fresh ginger 

1 medium size onion 

3-4 sprigs curry leaves 

5 star anise 

2 cinnamon sticks 

1 teaspoon cloves 

1-2 teaspoon cumin seeds 

1 teaspoon fennel seeds 

2 1/2 tablespoons Fijian curry powder 

1 can whole peeled tomatoes 

3-4 generous tablespoons of Golden Farm Ghee 

salt and sweetener to taste 

 

We prepare our chicken by cutting it into curry size pieces (this is completely based on personal preference - I prefer slightly chunkier pieces). 

 

Then we blitz together our trinity of Indo-Fijian fresh spices (chilli, garlic, and ginger) with a splash of water to form a loose paste. 

 

Now we’re ready to cook - first step is to add Golden Farm Ghee to the bottom of a heavy pot, and allow to heat briefly before adding our dry spices (star anise, cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds), and curry leaves. 

 

Once aromatic, our onion joins the dance to caramelise, following which we add a can of whole peeled tomatoes, and our prepared blend of Indo-Fijian fresh spices, that we will bring to a light bubble before introducing our Fijian curry powder to the party. 

 

At this point, we season with good quality sea salt and sweetener (I use monkfruit sweetener, but you can just as easily use raw sugar), before finally dropping in our chicken pieces and giving it all a mix to ensure that every piece is covered in that heavenly sauce. 

 

The next step is a waiting game, on low heat, which will allow the chicken to release it’s own juices to infuse with the flavours of the sauce. 

 

We know it’s done when the oil separates from the sauce, and the chicken is looking tender. 

 

Serve with rice, and a quick Indo-Fijian salad (tomato, cucumber, red onion, salt, and apple cider vinegar).