Grilled Chicken With Apple Compote
Grilled chicken with apple compote
This dish was inspired by the flavor of kokum, a fruit very common to the Indian west coast, which is used in various dishes to impart a naturally sour taste. When this note of sourness is combined with apple compote, it gives an addictive sweet and sour taste to the dish. A trip to an Indian grocery store or an online source is needed to get the kokum. Although there is not a real substitute for the flavor of kokum, I suggest replacing it with raisins if necessary. I often like to pair this dish with Yellow Pear and Cherry Tomato Salad with Cumin when I’m in the mood for a simple, yet exotic entertainment menu.
Ingredients
– 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, 2 teaspoons cumin seeds.
– 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds extracted from the pods 1-in (2.5-cm) piece cinnamon stick.
– 1 onion, coarsely chopped, 1 tablespoon peeled and chopped fresh ginger.
– ½ teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon Asian chili powder or ground cayenne pepper.
– ¼ cup (65 ml) oil Juice of 1 lemon, Salt, to taste.
– 4 boneless chicken breasts (about 1 lb/500 g total), trimmed of excess fat.
Apple Compote
– 2 tablespoons butter, 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped.
– ½ cup (125 ml) apple cider, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground.
– 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground, 2 tablespoons seeded and chopped kokum (or raisins).
Instructions
Place a small, dry skillet over low heat and toast the coriander, cumin, cardamom and cinnamon until aromatic. Grind the toasted spices to a fine powder using a spice or coffee grinder.
Step 2:
Place the onion, ginger, ground cloves, Asian chili powder, oil, lemon juice and salt in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
Step 3:
Combine the ground, toasted spices with the onion paste in a bowl and thoroughly mix.
Step 4:
Slather the spice paste all over the chicken, cover, and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 2 to 4 hours.
Step 5:
While the chicken is marinating, make the Apple Compote: Cook the butter in small saucepan over high heat until golden brown. Add the apples and cook, stirring until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the apple cider and cook until the liquid had evaporated, about 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in the coriander, cumin and kokum and cook for 1 minute. Set aside until ready to use.
Step 6:
Preheat the grill to medium heat. Grill the chicken pieces for 5 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is tender and cooked with the meat white in the center. Serve hot, topped with the compote.
