Name: Yogurt-Marinated Chicken with Potatoes and Saffron (Kalia de Poulet)
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 7 h
Yield: Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: Mauritian
Ingredients: ⅓ cup [80 ml] vegetable oil (see Tip); 1 Tbsp vegetable oil (see Tip); 5 large garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger; 5 cardamom pods, seeds only, crushed, or ¼ tsp ground cardamom; ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg; ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed; ½ tsp ground cloves; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 2 Tbsp ground cumin; 1 Tbsp garam masala; 2 lb [910 g] bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed and trimmed of excess fat; 2 or 3 long green chiles, stemmed and seeded if desired to mitigate spiciness, minced; 1 cup [240 ml] plain, full-fat yogurt; 1 tsp kosher salt; ½ cup [6 g] chopped fresh cilantro leaves; ½ cup [6 g] chopped fresh mint leaves; 2 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 in [2.5 cm] pieces; 1 Tbsp hot water; 2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped; 1 yellow onion, finely chopped; Pinch of saffron threads; Kosher salt; Steamed white rice, for serving; Additional fresh mint and cilantro leaves, for garnish

Preparation info

Yield:
4 to 6
servings

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
7 hr

Appears in

Islas

By Von Diaz

Published 2024

About

This is one of many outstanding curries from Mauritius, an island about 700 miles [1,125 km] east of Madagascar, whose dishes are a dynamic creole fusion of Indian, African, French, and Chinese cultures and flavors. Instead of citrus or vinegar, this dish uses yogurt as the foundation for the marinade. It’s a balance of bright ginger, mint, and cilantro; warm garam masala and cinnamon; and floral saffron, all smothering rich chicken thighs and fried potatoes. As with most curries, it’s incr