Stew Chicken (Trini Style)

Stew chicken is a staple main dish in Trinidad. Especially for Sunday. I was amazed to discover how important Sunday is to Trini's and even more so the food. The dishes associated with Sunday are stew chicken, rice, callaloo, macaroni pie, lentils, potato salad and mango chow. That's a lot of work yet worth it! My mouth is watering simply thinking about all those flavours. The layers of seasoning in Trini foods meld together developing extraordinary tastes and textures. So, let's get on with it and cook...

Ingrdients:

One 5-7 pound chicken (cleaned & cut up)
3 tablespoons green seasoning
6 cloves garlic minced
1/4 medium onion diced
1 stalk celery diced
1 inch fresh ginger minced
1/2 red bell pepper diced
2 stalks scallion chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 large carrot sliced
1 teaspoon Lawrys Season Salt
1/4 teaspoon Goya Adobo
Pinch of table salt
1/2 teaspoon geera
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Fresh ground allspice to taste
6 cloves
1 scotch bonnett pepper (whole)
3 tabelspoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Golden Rey
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 pure cream coconut

Directions:

Chop: celery, scallion, onion, garlic, Ginger, thyme and red bell pepper

Season chicken with lawrys, onion powder, vegetables and green seasoning

Marinate over night

In a large pot heat oil & 3 tblsp of brown sugar (once brown add chicken)
*add the chicken when the brown sugar is bubbling and a deep amber to brown colour
**do not walk away at this point or you will burn the sugar

Now you know its time to add the chicken
Once chicken is brown add 1/4 c ketchup, 1 tblsp Golden Ray, 1 tblsp reg butter & 1/4 cream coconut

Add enough water to almost cover chicken and simmer until chicken is done (use chicken stock in place of water).

Add sliced carrot

Add whole scotch bonnett pepper and be careful not to burst it
*it's just to add a pepper flavour not heat

Now all you have to do is serve over rice. Every once in a while I like to make rice & peas as opposed to plain white rice. Mainly when I am not making any of the other traditional sides to go with it. Your family, friends and nieghbors will smell you making this a mile away. Be sure to make plenty and if you're anything like me enjoy the mmmms as they take the first bite. Enjoy and be blessed!