This is Paul’s boat-friendly chicken curry, which can be used with almost any vegetable on hand. This recipe was made numerous times on SV O’Vive’s passage from Bahamas to French Polynesia.

Ingredients

Coconut Rice

• 2 cups rice
• 4 tablespoons coconut oil
• 3 cups water
• Pinch of salt, optional

Chicken Curry

• Olive oil
• Chicken, cut into cubes
• 1 onion, chopped
• Garlic, chopped
• Fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1–2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Carrots, cut into cubes
• Green peppers, cut into cubes
• Potatoes, cut into cubes
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 chicken bouillon cube
• 1/2 can water
• 1/2 can green peas

Spices

Use a generous amount of:

• Cayenne
• Paprika
• Turmeric
• Curry powder
• Cumin
• Black pepper

Method

Make the Coconut Rice

1. Heat the coconut oil in a pot over medium heat.
2. Add the rice and stir for about 2 minutes, until the grains are coated in oil.
3. Add the water and a pinch of salt, if using. Cover the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the rice is cooked and the water has been absorbed.

Make the Curry

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or deep pan.
2. Add the spices and stir them into the oil to wake them up.
3. Add the cubed chicken, onion, garlic, and fresh ginger. Stir everything together.
4. Add the butter and tomato paste, then sauté until the chicken is coated in the spices and the onion begins to soften.
5. Add the carrots, green peppers, and potatoes. Stir well so the vegetables are covered in the spice mixture.
6. Add the coconut milk, diced tomatoes, sugar, chicken bouillon, and water.
7. Cover and let the curry slow cook until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
8. Near the end, stir in the green peas and cook until heated through.

For a saucier curry, keep the lid on. For a thicker curry, remove the lid and let some of the liquid evaporate. But on a boat in the tropics? Keep the heat contained, keep the lid on, and save your propane.

Serve the curry over the coconut rice.

Notes

This is the kind of curry that changes depending on what is in the galley. Add more cayenne if you want heat, more coconut milk if you want it creamy, or more potatoes if you need to stretch it for hungry people.

Pin it

I’m now on Pinterest. You can save this recipe to your own Pinterest board using one of the images below. Thanks for reading!

Related posts

From Boat Kid to Sailor: Paul’s Pacific Crewing Adventure

Paul Leaves SV Aphrodite to Crew from the Bahamas to French Polynesia