Recipe: Chicken Hawaii (using coconut milk, ginger, cinnamon and curry)

CHICKEN HAWAII

1 (3 to 3 1/2 pound) chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
1 teaspoon salt (divided use), plus more to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped (1 1/4 cups)
3 tablespoons finely chopped and peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (2 cloves)
2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 Turkish bay leaf (or 1/2 California bay leaf)
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
1 (13 1/2 to 15 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk (not low-fat)
Hot cooked rice (for serving)
Garnishes of your choice:
toasted coconut, cubes of fresh pineapple, lime wedges, mango chutney, chopped salted and roasted cashews or peanuts, chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat oil in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown the chicken in batches to avoid crowding the pan and turn the pieces occasionally. Allow 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer each piece to a plate as the chicken is cooked, reserving the fat in the pot.

Add onion, ginger, garlic, cinnamon sticks and bay leaf to the fat in the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is browned (allow approximately 5 minutes).

Add curry powder and flour to the pan and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, for 1 minute.

Stir in the sugar (if you are using it), coconut milk and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and bring it to a boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot.

Return the chicken and any of the juices on the plate to the pot, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered and stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Discard the cinnamon sticks and bay leaf. Season with salt, then transfer to a shallow serving dish.

Serve the chicken over rice topped with the garnishes of your choice.

Makes 4 servings
Source: The Best of Gourmet