recipe-1

Recipe-1 › Curries of the world › Kuku paka

Kenyan coast (Mombasa), Kenya

Kuku paka

A coconut chicken curry from Kenya’s Swahili coast, cooked by Swahili and Indian families alike. The chicken is often grilled over charcoal first and then simmered in a coconut and tomato sauce; boiled eggs are a common addition.

Same steps, different flavour base Medium

Too hot for you? Use half the chilli (powder, paste or fresh chillies) and leave out the green chillies.

New here? How this page works

Recipe-1 is one simple curry recipe in nine steps: fry onions and green chillies, add your vegetables or meat, add chilli powder and turmeric, then water and salt, and boil. With small changes the same nine steps make curries from all over the world.

This page takes those nine steps and shows what to change to make Kuku paka. You don’t need to read anything else first: every base step is written out below. The changes are worked out on paper from what is typical for this dish; not yet kitchen-tested. Cooked it? Tell others how it went.

Green: the base recipe step (crossed out = do not use it for this dish)Red: what to do instead for Kuku paka

See the full base recipe (with timers and tips) · See all curries on the world map

You’ll need

How many people?4

The amounts change with the number of people; cooking times stay about the same (use a bigger pot for more). Taste as you go: you can always add more chilli or salt, but you cannot take it out.

Main ingredient: 1 kg Chicken pieces, marinated in lemon, garlic, ginger and chilli, then grilled or roasted (or simply browned in the pan).

From the base recipe

  • 2 Onions
  • 2 Green chillies
  • 3 tbsp Cooking oil
  • 1 tsp Red chilli powder
  • ½ tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp · not used Salt and water
  • 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
  • Cloves, cardamom and cinnamon not used
  • Garam masala (optional) not used

Add for Kuku paka

  • 400 ml Coconut milk
  • 3 Tomatoes
  • 1 tsp · 1 tsp Ground coriander and cumin
  • 1 handful Fresh coriander leaves
  • 4 Boiled eggs (optional)

Leave out

  • Garam masala

The nine steps, with the changes

Where a step has a red line, do the red line and not the crossed-out green base step. Steps with only green are done just as in the base recipe.

  1. Cut onions and chillies.

  2. Fry in some oil for around 4 minutes on medium-high heat.

  3. Base step: do not useCut the vegetable(s) of your choice.

    Kuku paka: do thisUse the grilled chicken.

  4. Base step: do not useAdd them and fry for around 4 minutes on medium-high heat.

    Kuku paka: do thisAdd chopped tomatoes first and cook them down for 5 minutes; the chicken goes in at step 7.

  5. Base step: do not useAdd red chilli powder and turmeric.

    Kuku paka: do thisAdd chilli powder and turmeric, plus ground coriander and cumin.

  6. Keep frying until just before they start browning.

  7. Base step: do not useAdd some water.

    Kuku paka: do thisAdd coconut milk instead of water, then the chicken.

  8. Add salt.

  9. Base step: do not useBoil until the gravy is as thick as you like.

    Kuku paka: do thisSimmer for 15–20 minutes until the sauce is thick, add the halved boiled eggs and scatter coriander leaves.

Serve: With rice, chapati or ugali.

For meat and seafood, make sure it is cooked through: chicken until no pink remains inside; mutton, goat and beef need long, slow cooking.

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