Jamaican curry chicken

• boneless chicken↗700g g

  (thigh or breast), cut into chunks

• lime↗1

  or lemon, juiced (optional)

• vinegar↗1 tbsp tbsp

  of your choice (optional)

• oil4 tbsp tbsp

  of your choice, for frying

• carrots↗2

  cut into 1.5cm rounds or finely chopped

• potatoes↗300g g

  (ideally Irish or Russet), cut into 3-4cm pieces

• coconut milk↗400ml can ml

  can

• dark soy sauce↗1 tsp tsp

  (optional)

• brown sugar↗½ tsp tsp

  (optional)

• coriander leaves↗1 tbsp tbsp

  roughly chopped

• avocado↗

  cooked white rice and Caribbean roti, to serve

• white onion↗1

  chopped

• spring onion↗1

  sliced

• garlic cloves↗3

  crushed

• scotch bonnet peppers↗1

  chopped (deseeded if you prefer less heat), or 1 tsp chilli powder

• pimento seeds6

  crushed, or 1 tsp allspice

• grated ginger1 tsp
• all-purpose seasoning1 tbsp
• ground cumin↗1 tsp
• ground turmeric↗½ tsp

  (optional)

• Jamaican or mild curry powder2 tbsp

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Put the chicken in a large bowl, add the lemon or lime juice and vinegar, and cover with cold water. Massage the mixture into the chicken, then drain. This step is optional, but traditional in Jamaica.

2. 2

   Put all the marinade ingredients and 1 tsp salt in a clean bowl along with the chicken. Using your hands, combine all the ingredients to coat the chicken. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 30 mins, or ideally in the fridge overnight.

3. 3

   Heat the oil in a heavy pot or pan over a medium heat. Gently scrape the contents of the marinade bowl into the pan and set the bowl aside. Fry the chicken until light brown, about 3 mins each side. Tip in the carrots and potatoes, and stir for 2 mins more.

4. 4

   Pour 400ml hot water into the marinade bowl, swill it around and pour this into the pan. Add the coconut milk so it covers the chicken, then stir in the soy sauce, if using. Turn the heat up to high until the liquid starts to bubble, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30 mins. Remove the lid and cook for 10-15 mins more until the sauce is your desired consistency. Season with black pepper, and the sugar, if using, to taste. Scatter over the coriander and serve with avocado, white rice and roti, if you like.