Hard body Chicken Potjie Pie

Hard body Chicken Potjie Pie

INGREDIENTS

• Oil
• 1 onion, peeled & chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• Bouquet Garni
• 2 Tbsp Curry Paste
• 2 tsp chicken spice
• 2 chicken stock cubes
• 3 tbsp white wine
• 1-2 cups water depending on whether you cook on the stove or use a pressure cooker
• 1 hard body chicken approx. 1,5 kg, cleaned and cut into pieces
• 2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into bite sized cubes
• 8 baby onions, peeled & cut into halves
• 3 stalks of celery, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 1 roll of puff pastry, cut into large circles that fit your potjie pots
• Sesame seeds
• Egg wash

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a large pot then sauté the onions, garlic and bouquet Garni until the onions soften.
2. Add the chicken spice, curry paste, stock cubes, wine & water.
3. Add the chicken & simmer for 2-3 hours on a low temperature until the chicken softens. Once the chicken is cooked add the carrots, celery and baby onions, simmer until the vegetables are tender then remove from the heat & set aside.
4. Place the cooked chicken, gravy & vegetables into miniature potpie pots, top with the puff pastry then brush with egg wash and sprinkle the sesame seeds on top.
5. Bake @ 200 C for 15-20 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown and crispy.

RECIPE NOTES

• Hard Body chickens or Umleqwa (IsiKhosa) have tougher meat and harder bones.
• These birds are suited to long & slow cooking methods.
• These chickens are supposed to be true free range chickens that walk around for aging their own food from the Earth. For this reason they have a stronger flavour.
• You can use a pressure cooker to cut down the cooking time. Just use less water than you would if you are cooking on the stove.