In South Africa, more especially in and around Cape Town, the local Malay cooking has evolved into an art form. In the Bo-Kaap, a traditional picturesque suburb sprawled out underneath the Lion’s Head and overlooking both city and harbour, you’ll still find families whose forefathers were living there in the days of Jan van Riebeeck and the Dutch East India Company. Cape Malay cooking is legendary and whilst based on Malaysian cooking is far more than that because it has taken the best from local South African food, added a good dollop of Indian flavour and style and to that, added a generous twist of spices.

Ingredients

• 4 very large skinless chicken breasts, cut into halves or as preferred
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 onions, 1 finely chopped and 1 roughly chopped
• 2 green tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 heaped tbs fresh grated ginger
• 1 tsp freshly ground cinnamon
• 3 allpice
• 1 tsp cardamom seeds from the green pods, crushed
• 2 star anise
• 4 heaped tsp curry powder for chicken
• 210 ml  coconut milk
• 1 heaped tbsp hot fruit chutney
• 2 tbsp light extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Put the one roughly chopped onion in a food processor with ginger and garlic and process until smooth and then rub the chicken with the ginger and onion paste and set aside for an hour.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the finely chopped onion, the cinnamon, the allspice, the cardamom and the star anise and fry over a medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant, add the curry and fry for another 2 – 3 minutes.
• Add chicken and fry the pieces on all sides, scraping the pan continuously while you do so and then add the tomatoes, the coconut milk and enough water to cover the chicken by no more than a few cm (5 – 6), bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
• Lift the lid occasionally and scrape the bottom of the saucepan, checking the liquid level while you’re at it – add more water or coconut milk should it be necessary.
• Add the potatoes about 20 minutes before the end of the cooking period and cook until the potatoes are tender.
• Serve with white rice.