Best Chicken And Coconut In Banana Leaves Recipes

TAISI MOA (SAMOAN CHICKEN BAKED IN BANANA LEAVES)

Steps:

• In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, barbeque sauce (I used a Chinese one), ginger and coconut milk. Check the taste of the marinade adding more soy sauce, barbecue sauce or ginger to your taste.
• Place the chicken, plantain and sweet potato in a large bowl and pour over the marinade. Marinate for 30 minutes.
• Gently warm the banana leaf over a fire until the leaf is pliable (do not burn it), just 3 minutes. (Istead of banana leaf and baking sheet, you can use a baking mold with lid, it's not the same but it's better then nothing).
• Cut the leaf into four large squares from 30 x 30 cm.
• Place the chicken onto the banana leaf square and evenly divide the vegetables on top.
• Pour any remaining marinade and fold the leaves around the chicken.
• Tie the package and place them in a baking sheet (lined with baking paper).
• Bake in a previously pre-heated oven at 180°C until the chicken is tender and completely done (around 1 hour).
• Check the package occasionally to make sure they do not burn.

CHICKEN AND BANANA CURRY

Steps:

• For the marinade: Combine the yogurt, cilantro, ginger, garlic and some salt and pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour the marinade into a large resealable bag. Rinse and pat dry the chicken and place in the bag with marinade. Mix around and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• For the chicken: Add the almonds to a pan over medium-high heat. Keep stirring until the nuts become golden in color, 7 to 10 minutes. Once they toast, remove from the pan and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for until golden, 2 minutes. Throw in the onions and saute for 8 more minutes. Remove the onions and set aside, reserving the oil.
• Wipe down the marinated chicken and cut into bite-size pieces. Pour the flour on a plate and mix in a big pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper. Toss the chicken pieces in the flour to lightly coat. Fry the chicken over medium heat in the same pan and oil as you cooked the onions, until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• For the curry sauce: Heat a small pan over medium heat. Add the hot curry powder and stir often until fragrant about 30 seconds. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 cups water, the toasted curry spice, raisins, chutney, brown sugar, turmeric, lemon juice and the toasted almonds. Stir and bring to a simmer.
• Whisk together the stock and flour in a measuring cup to make a thickener, and then pass through a sieve to remove any flour chunks.
• Add the thickener to the curry sauce and mix well. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the sauteed onions and garlic, the crisped chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 30 minutes.
• Ladle some chicken curry onto a plate and serve with sliced ripe bananas and sweet shredded coconut.

COCONUT, CHICKEN AND BANANA CURRY

Steps:

• Mix together the chicken pieces, garam masala and some salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the chicken and onion and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown.
• Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes until beginning to soften. Pour in the stock, stir in the curry paste, then bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the cream, almonds and coconut. Peel the bananas and cut into 2cm thick slices. Add to the pan, Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 5 minutes until the bananas are just tender.
• Divide between 4 plates and serve each with boiled rice, a sprinkle of fresh coriander and a wedge of lemon for squeezing over.

MOROCCAN-SPICED CHICKEN IN BANANA LEAF

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium heat.
• In a large bowl, mix together the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, olives, cardamon, garlic, carrots, bell pepper, onion, 1 tablespoon of the granulated garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of the cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt. Add to a cast-iron pan and put on the grill over direct heat. Bring to a rapid boil, close the lid and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
• Toss the chicken pieces in a bowl with the olive oil, then add the ras el hanout, cumin, cinnamon, remaining 1 tablespoon granulated garlic, remaining 1/4 teaspoon cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt and mix until uniformly covered.
• Arrange the banana leaves on a baking sheet. Place 2 to 3 pieces of chicken on each leaf. With a slotted spoon or fork, cover the chicken with the sauce. Sprinkle a teaspoon each of the lemon zest and cilantro on top of each portion. Fold each banana leaf like an envelope and secure with cook's twine or toothpicks.
• Place the baking sheet with the banana envelopes on the grill over direct heat and cook until the chicken is cooked through but still juicy, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve immediately.

CURRIED CHICKEN STEAMED IN BANANA LEAVES

Steps:

• To make the sauce, heat the canola oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan and add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 3 minutes. Add the garam masala and turmeric and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the chilies and coconut milk, lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
• To make the chicken and vegetables, place the chicken breasts between sheets of wax paper and pound them lightly with the back of a small heavy skillet until they are slightly flattened and uniform in thickness. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and lay each half-breast in the center of a banana leaf. Place the diced potatoes and peas in a bowl, season lightly with salt and toss. Top each piece of chicken with 1/4 of the vegetables and pour 1/4 of the sauce over the vegetables. Fold the sides of the banana leaves over the chicken breasts, then fold the top and bottom in toward the center. Secure with toothpicks or tie a very thin strip of banana leaf around each bundle.
• Fill the bottom of a steamer with water almost to, but not touching, the rack and bring to a boil. Place the chicken bundles on the rack (you may have to make 2 layers) and steam, covered, until the chicken breasts are cooked through and the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. To eat, unwrap the leaves to expose the filling. (Do not eat the banana leaves.) Serve with rice on the side.