Country Captain
A few years ago I cooked a recipe for Country Captain — a curry chicken dish that’s very popular in the South.
We liked it so much that I made it many times over the years and in fact, used to include the recipe in a few of my cooking classes.
Then, “knowing how way leads onto way” I prepared other recipes, new ones, experimental ones, riffs on old ones — and forgot about Country Captain.
Recently, when I was cleaning out some files, I found my old recipe (computer paper version, sauce-stained of course).
I made the dish for dinner recently and lo and behold! We liked it again!
Country Captain started as an Indian dish but somehow, because of its popularity in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and Georgia it became a Southern specialty. There are all sorts of stories about the recipe’s provenance and why it became such an iconic regional dish. I’m not sure of the whys and hows. All I know is how delicious it is. Apparently it was a favorite of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and General George Patton.
Basically Country Captain is braised chicken and tomatoes with curry seasoning and served over cooked white rice. There’s usually a garnish of toasted almonds, which add some crunch and flavor, but I’ve made the dish without the nuts and it’s just fine!
Country Captain
1 broiler-fryer chicken, cut into 8 parts (or 4 breasts or whole legs)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium bell pepper, cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder, mild or hot or a combination
1-1/2 teaspoons thyme leaves (or use 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 to 2/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock or tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/4 cup raisins or currants
Cooked white rice
1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds, optional
chopped parsley for garnish, optional
Wash the chicken and dredge the pieces in the flour. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add pieces of the chicken a few at a time and cook for 5-8 minutes until lightly browned, turning pieces occasionally. Remove and set aside on a plate. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in the pan. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until vegetables have softened. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Add the tomatoes, curry powder, thyme, salt and pepper, and stir to combine ingredients. Pour in 1/2 cup of the stock. Return the chicken to the pan, spoon the pan ingredients over the chicken, cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the parsley and raisins or currants. Add more stock if the pan seems dry. Cook another five minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve over cooked white rice. Sprinkle with the almonds and parsley if desired.
Makes 4 servings