Chicken Pelau Recipe | Food

Date Published:: 25/09/2007

Chicken pelau is a wondrous Eastern Caribbean culinary delight, with the tender meat caramelised to a stunning dark brown, the sign of a good pelau. The brown layer that forms on the bottom of the pot is called bun-bun, which for many is their favourite part of this easy recipe.

Serves 4
Ready in 45 minutes.

Ingredients

500g skinless, boneless thigh fillets
1 tbsp chicken seasoning
2 tbsp medium curry powder
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 sprigs fresh thyme
3 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp golden granulated sugar
300ml American easy-cook rice
410g can black-eyed beans, drained

Method: How to make chicken pelau

1. Put the chicken into a large, shallow plastic container, ideally with a lid. Carefully stab a knife into each piece of chicken about 3 times. Use a measuring spoon to sprinkle the chicken seasoning and curry powder over the chicken, then use a fork to turn the chicken and cover in seasoning. Sprinkle with the soy sauce, chopped onion and crushed garlic. Run your thumb and forefinger down each thyme stem to remove the leaves, then add these to the chicken. Stir with a fork, cover tightly with a lid (if you have one) and gently shake it all together. You can put this into the fridge for a couple of hours if you want the chicken to be really full of flavour, although it's fine to use it right away.

2. Pour the oil into a 30cm frying pan, add the sugar and put over a medium heat for about 5-7 minutes. Keep looking at the mixture, but don't stir it. When it turns a mid-golden brown, it means the sugar has caramelised. Stand well back and ask an adult to quickly tip the chicken into the pan. Cover it with a lid, and don't touch it for 5 minutes. Lift the lid, turn the chicken pieces over, cover and cook for another

5 minutes until a lovely, rich golden brown colour.

3. Pour the rice into a measuring jug until it comes up to the 300ml mark, then tip into the pan. Pour 700ml cold water into the plastic container you used to season the chicken, then pour this into the pan, too. Cover and cook for 20 minutes over a gentle heat without lifting the lid.

4. Tip the black-eyed beans into a sieve to drain, then add to the pan. Stir it all together, then cover and cook for 3 minutes to warm the beans through. It's now ready to eat.