This Mauritian fricassee is known as the “kids’ dish” among spicy curries and salted fish. It’s mild, not spicy, but still totally delicious. As a big kid, this is an ultimate comfort food for me — and a taste of my childhood as I so fortunately spent the summer by the sea with the Mauritian side of my family every couple of years.
Serves: 10
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Servings
10
Prep time
Cook time
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 10 chicken legs
- 5 chicken thighs, skin on, halved
- 1 bunch parsley, leaves picked
- 90mL olive oil (to use in 3 lots)
- 2 large red onions, halved then thinly sliced into half-rings
- 6 spring onions, thinly sliced, green & white parts separated
- 1 heaped tbsp grated ginger
- 1 heaped tbsp crushed garlic
- 10 thyme sprigs
- 6 tomatoes, deseeded & roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 125mL tomato passata (puréed tomatoes)
- 160mL filtered water
- 2 dried chillies
- 1 large fresh red chilli, thinly sliced, to garnish (optional)
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Sprinkle salt over chicken pieces and rub in well. Set aside a few parsley leaves as garnish and roughly chop rest.
- Heat flameproof enamelled cast-iron casserole pot on stovetop over high heat. Set aside 1–2 tbsp oil then heat half the remaining oil in pot. Sear half of chicken pieces for 4–5 mins, until skin is browned all over. Remove chicken and set aside in large bowl. Repeat with other half of the oil and remaining chicken.
- Heat the rest of the oil in same pot over medium heat and fry onion and white parts of spring onion (set aside green parts as garnish or add now if you prefer). Add ginger, garlic, thyme and chopped parsley and cook for 1 min. Return all chicken to pot and add tomato, tomato paste, tomato passata, water and dried chilli (if using). Bring to gentle simmer. Put lid on pot and transfer to oven for 2 hours, then remove lid and cook for further 30 mins.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately, garnished with reserved parsley leaves, spring onion greens and fresh chilli (if using) or save for next day.
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