Rajah's Chicken- For- Lunch
"A fan of BAKLAVA, I was looking for something that was similar, but was not a dessert ... and came up with this for a summer lunch"
- Ready In:
- 24hrs 40mins
- Ingredients:
- 15
- Serves:
-
4
ingredients
-
FOR THE FILLING
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch squares
- 1⁄2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
- 1⁄2 cup cashews
- 1⁄2 cup dried apricot, chopped
- 1⁄2 cup raisins
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1⁄4 cup soya sauce
- 1 tablespoon curry powder, to taste
-
THE PASTRY
- 16 sheets phyllo pastry
- 1⁄2 cup butter, melted
- 3⁄4 cup fresh basil leaf, chopped
-
THE SAUCE
- 1⁄2 cup maple syrup
- 1 1⁄2 cups white wine
directions
- Heat oil in frying pan over medium heat
- Add minced garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds - don't burn the garlic! Add chicken and hot pepper flakes and stir-fry until meat changes colour but is not cooked through
- Remove chicken from heat
- In food processor,rough-chop cashews, apricots and raisins
- Add orange juice, soya sauce and curry powder
- (To make your own curry powder combine equal parts ground coriander, ground cumin, ground pepper, turmeric and ground ginger
- Sore in screw-top jar
- ) Whirl to combine
- Add cooked chicken to mixture in processor
- Chop to chunky paste
- Refrigerate chicken mixture for 1 hour
- Preheat oven to 350*F
- Brush 4 sheets of phyllo with melted butter and sprinkle each sheet with chopped basil
- Layer 4 sheets on top of each other
- (Keep phyllo not being used covered under a damp cloth
- )
- Cut the phyllo in half and place one half over the other
- Place phyllo in the bottom of a greased 9x13-inch baking pan and trim the edges if needed
- (I use scissors
- )
- Lightly spread the phyllo with one-third of the chicken mixture - about 1-1/2 cups
- Repeat the above twice more with another 4 sheets of phyllo, just lightly placing the next layer of pastry on top of the chicken mixture
- Finish with the last four sheets of phyllo
- Top off by brushing the top with remaining melted butter
- Score top layer of pastry into 4 portions
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until an even, golden-brown
- While baking is in the oven, combine white wine and maple syrup in a small pan
- Simmer for approx 10 minutes, then remove from heat
- Allow to cool to room temperature
- On removing from oven, and while dish is still hot, pour wine syrup over-all to coat
- Cover and refrigerate overnight
- To serve, cut through scored lines
- Serve cold with a dab of chutney on top, a green salad on-the-side, and a glass of the remaining white wine
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Reviews
-
What an imaginative, delightful dish! Wonderful fruity, nutty and curry flavors folded in crispy crust. I did use readily grilled chicken, 3 breasts alltogether. I added the garlic and pepper flakes to the filling. We just couldn't wait until it was all chilled, but had some hot, straight out of oven. It was great hot as well, but flavors where more pronounced, when chilled. I highly recommend this recipe, just as it is.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
An older gentleman who enjoys cooking and is currently exploring the tastes and cooking methods of Oceania, the East and the Orient.
I value time spent sharing food with friends. Is there a better feeling than the sublime mellowness and goodwill which, by candle-light, can blanket pleasant company at the end of a splendid meal?
