Kuku Paka — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A rich Kenyan coastal curry of charcoal-grilled chicken simmered in a creamy coconut milk sauce with tomatoes, ginger, and a blend of East African spices.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
2 cups coconut milk
3 large tomatoes, blended
2 onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 inch ginger, grated
2 green chilies, slit
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1 Marinate the chicken pieces with lemon juice, turmeric, salt, and half the garlic and ginger, then grill or broil until lightly charred on the outside.
2 Heat oil in a large pot and saute the onions until golden, then add the remaining garlic, ginger, cumin, and coriander, cooking until fragrant.
3 Add the blended tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until reduced, then pour in the coconut milk and green chilies, stirring to combine into a smooth sauce.
4 Add the grilled chicken pieces to the coconut sauce, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is rich and creamy, then garnish with cilantro and serve with rice.

Did You Know?

Kuku Paka reflects the strong Indian Ocean trading heritage of the Kenyan coast, where Swahili, Indian, and Arab culinary traditions merged centuries ago in Mombasa and Lamu.