Central Asian spiced chicken stew

Ingredients

• 1200 g Chicken leg quarters (thighs and drumsticks)
• 4 pieces Potatoes
• 2 pieces Green bell peppers
• 2 pieces Onions
• 3 pieces Tomatoes
• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 piece Ginger
• 8 pieces Dried red chiles
• 2 pieces Star anise
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 tbsp Cumin seeds
• 3 tbsp Soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing)
• 1 tbsp Brown sugar
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste
• 3 tbsp Neutral oil (such as sunflower oil)
• to taste Salt
• 1 bunch Fresh cilantro
• 400 g Fresh Chinese wide noodles

Method

1. Cut the chicken into medium-sized pieces, trim any excess fat, and pat the pieces dry with paper towels to ensure good browning.
2. Peel and cut the potatoes into large wedges, the bell peppers into wide strips, the onions into wedges, and the tomatoes into wedges. Coarsely chop the garlic and ginger.
3. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or wok over high heat. Sear the chicken pieces on all sides until golden brown, then set aside.
4. In the same fat, toast the cumin seeds, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and whole dried chiles over low heat until fragrant, about one minute.
5. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute for a few minutes until the onions are translucent and aromatic.
6. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook until the tomatoes break down into a thick sauce.
7. Return the chicken to the pot. Deglaze with the soy sauce and cooking wine, add the brown sugar, and toss to coat the chicken thoroughly.
8. Pour in enough water to just cover the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about twenty minutes, until the chicken begins to turn tender.
9. Add the potatoes. Continue cooking covered for about fifteen minutes, until they are fork-tender and the sauce has thickened.
10. Fold in the green bell peppers during the last moments of cooking so they retain their crispness. Serve the piping-hot stew over cooked wide noodles, garnished with chopped cilantro.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

582.6 kcal

Protein

32.64 g

Carbohydrate

47.62 g

Fat

28.29 g

Fibre

4.35 g

Calcium

26.44 mg

Iron

1.54 mg

Magnesium

20.17 mg