The Earl Family’s African Curry
The Earl family of This Star Won’t Go Out — the family of famous “nerdfighter” Esther Earl, who inspired John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars — supplied this recipe. Follow your African Curry dinner with the Earls’ Rice Cream Pie for a family dinner that celebrates Esther’s most important message to the world: Love.
Lori Earl says, “Having grown up internationally, and then lived in both the Middle East and France with our children, very early on our kids developed a fondness for spicy, unique flavors. This recipe came out of my own childhood growing up in Ghana, West Africa. It is much thinner than Indian curries, and is best served generously over rice and topped with a variety of fruit, vegetables and nuts.”
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tablespoon curry powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 6 oz. tomato paste
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 14 oz. coconut milk
- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized cubes
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic until translucent.
- Add the curry powder and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste and allow to cook for another 2-3 minutes, watching carefully to make sure it doesn’t stick. (You can turn the heat down as needed.)
- Add the broth and coconut milk, stir well, and bring to a boil.
- Turn the heat down and allow the soup to simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add in the chicken pieces and salt and cook for 15 minutes to cook the chicken through.
- In a small bowl or jar, mix the cornstarch and water until fully incorporated (there should be no lumps). Stir the cornstarch mixture into the curry, raise the heat and allow to cook for 5 minutes or until thickened.
- Add the lemon juice and stir well.
- Serve over cooked rice, with toppings as desired: The Earl family recommends chopped green peppers, tomatoes, fried onions, orange segments, raisins, coconut flakes, chopped peanuts, and pineapple as good choices!