This dish is inspired by the classic African Chicken and is one of the most famous and popular dishes in Macanese cuisine. A relatively modern Macanese dish according to Annabel Jackson’s “A Taste of Macao”, it is thought to have been invented in the 1940’s by Chef Americo Angelo, at the former Pousada de Macao.
As with many Macanese dishes, traditional recipes vary but all call for a marinade to be made including butter, garlic, salt, bay leaves and chillies (and sometimes peppercorns and shallots), along with a basting sauce with added coconut milk. The chicken is roasted for 1 hour and is regularly basted with the sauce until it is crispy on top yet still soft underneath. It is served with the remaining sauce.
Having tried African Chicken in Macao cooked for me by the talented chef David Wong of the Culinary Institute, I have injected some Chinese soy to push those influences a little further and impart a savoury note to the Chicken. I make a spice paste out of garlic, cayenne chillies, shallots, black pepper, grated lemon, soy sauce and “smoked paprika” - which Portuguese call “colorau doce”.
First, I create the spice paste and then divide it into two, one which is used to cover the entire chicken and roasted, the rest is blended with coconut milk, cooked down and reduced to a delicious serving sauce. This is then served with an umami hit of smoky bacon lardons, with turmeric, cayenne chilli, soy, Basmati rice, raisins and toasted almonds all wok-fried together to create a delicious Moorish-Chinese fried rice, topped with crispy croutons. Yes, crispy croutons! Or fried bits of bread, which is what the Macanese used to use. This dish represents the incredible blend of African, Portuguese, Indian and Chinese influences that makes Macanese one of the oldest fusion cuisines in the world, and truly one of the most unique.
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Ching He Huang Web Site
This dish is inspired by the classic African Chicken and is one of the most famous and popular dishes in Macanese cuisine. A relatively modern Macanese dish according to Annabel Jackson’s “A Taste of Macao”, it is thought to have been invented in the 1940’s by Chef Americo Angelo, at the former Pousada de Macao.
As with many Macanese dishes, traditional recipes vary but all call for a marinade to be made including butter, garlic, salt, bay leaves and chillies (and sometimes peppercorns and shallots), along with a basting sauce with added coconut milk. The chicken is roasted for 1 hour and is regularly basted with the sauce until it is crispy on top yet still soft underneath. It is served with the remaining sauce.
Having tried African Chicken in Macao cooked for me by the talented chef David Wong of the Culinary Institute, I have injected some Chinese soy to push those influences a little further and impart a savoury note to the Chicken. I make a spice paste out of garlic, cayenne chillies, shallots, black pepper, grated lemon, soy sauce and “smoked paprika” - which Portuguese call “colorau doce”.
First, I create the spice paste and then divide it into two, one which is used to cover the entire chicken and roasted, the rest is blended with coconut milk, cooked down and reduced to a delicious serving sauce. This is then served with an umami hit of smoky bacon lardons, with turmeric, cayenne chilli, soy, Basmati rice, raisins and toasted almonds all wok-fried together to create a delicious Moorish-Chinese fried rice, topped with crispy croutons. Yes, crispy croutons! Or fried bits of bread, which is what the Macanese used to use. This dish represents the incredible blend of African, Portuguese, Indian and Chinese influences that makes Macanese one of the oldest fusion cuisines in the world, and truly one of the most unique.