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Poul ak nwa
Poul ak nwa: Cap-Haïtien chicken with cashews
Cap-Haïtien, Haiti's northern port, claims poul ak nwa as its own: chicken braised in a tomato and epis creole sauce and finished with toasted cashew nuts, which grow on the northern hillsides and are sold in paper cones by the roadside. The nuts soften slightly in the sauce, giving it body and a buttery sweetness, and the dish is a favourite for Sunday lunch with white rice and fried plantain. The common mistake is adding the cashews at the start, so they turn soggy; they go in for the last 15 minutes. Contains tree nuts. Chef's tip: dry-toast the cashews until golden before they meet the sauce; it deepens the whole dish.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 3 ⅛ lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticksskinned
- 1 limejuiced
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 5 ½ oz raw cashew nuts
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionsliced
- 1 green peppersliced
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 7 oz chopped tomatoes
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 scotch bonnet pepperwhole
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 2 tbsp parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Rub 3 ⅛ lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks with 1 lime, 2 tbsp Haitian epis (green seasoning) and ¾ tsp salt and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
60 minStep 2: Toast 5 ½ oz raw cashew nuts in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 4 minutes, shaking the pan, until golden. Set aside.
4 minStep 3: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan over a medium-high heat and brown the chicken pieces for 8 minutes, turning, until golden. Set aside.
8 minStep 4: In the same pan, soften 1 onion and 1 green pepper for 5 minutes, then stir in 2 tbsp tomato purée and the rest of 2 tbsp Haitian epis (green seasoning) for 1 minute.
6 minStep 5: Add 7 oz chopped tomatoes, 3 sprigs thyme, 1 scotch bonnet pepper, 1 ¼ cups water and the rest of ¾ tsp salt. Return the chicken, cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
25 minStep 6: Stir in the cashews and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes more, until the sauce thickens and the chicken reaches 165°F at the bone, with clear juices. Remove the pepper, scatter over 2 tbsp parsley and serve with rice.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 41 g
- Carbs
- 13 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does poul ak nwa take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 55 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lime?
- Lemon, same amount.
- What can I use instead of raw cashew nuts?
- Almonds or peanuts, same amount.
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