Crispy-skin roast chicken with bahar asfar coconut curry.
Remember how homey and comfy those chicken n dumplings were, how warming and wonderful?
This dish is their flavor equal, and it's even prettier.
I had never heard of bahar asfar (sometimes called baharat, sometimes called djaj bil-bahar il-asfar) until my friend Peter gave me some. This version of the age-old Iraqi spice blend was handmade at Sugarpill, an independent, woman-run shop full of spices, specialty delectables, homeopathic remedies, and a soupçon of vintage jewelry that I swear owner Karyn Schwartz curates just for me.
As I found out, this multi-faceted, highly aromatic spice is ideal for building a richly flavored sauce in a short amount of time (hint, hint: on a weeknight). Were I to list its flavor gifts, they would shake out thus:
Toast
Cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, allspice
Zest
Black pepper, cumin, coriander, chili
Mild astringency
Nutmeg, ginger
Flowers!
Rose hips
Bahar asfar is fabulous with coconut milk, playing perfect counterpoint to the milk's fattiness. Classic curry veggies add body, and dried figs add sweetness (plus, figs and rose hips are a beautiful pairing). Topped with pieces of crispy-skinned, juicy roast chicken, this dish is aces.
yours,
aa
Crispy-skin Roast Chicken with Bahar Asfar Coconut Curry
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Recommended pairing: I messed up and ate this while drinking cabernet sauvignon. It was not ideal. Were I to do it over, I'd probably choose a dry, slightly floral rose or a pinot grigio. Or an IPA.
What you’ll need
14 oz. light coconut milk
8 oz. coconut cream
1 c. chicken stock
1 ½ tbsp bahar asfar spice blend
½ tsp ground anise
¼ tsp ground cumin
½ medium onion, chopped into ½"-thick slices
1 medium potato, chopped into 1" cubes
1 medium yam, chopped into 1" cubes
1 c. dried figs, halved (about a dozen)
1 half chicken, 2 to 2 ½ lbs., neck, gizzard, wingtips, and spine removed (if still intact)
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Italian parsley for garnish (optional)
How to make it
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove half chicken from the fridge and pat dry. Rub the skin with olive oil, and be generous! This is gonna seal the deal on that crispy skin. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temp while you prep the rest.
Place onion, potato, yam, and figs in a single layer in a 9"x13" baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut milk, coconut cream, stock, and spices, until spices are dissolved and the color is uniform. Pour over veggies/figs. Nestle chicken, cavity-side down, amidst the veggies and coconut broth.
Roast until the chicken skin is taut and golden, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and cook 30 minutes more, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
Ladle curry into bowls. Slice some crispy chicken pieces and arrange them artistically atop the curry. Garnish with fresh Italian parsley if you've got it. Serve immediately.
ps. If your local grocery mart or butcher doesn't sell half chickens, sub with a small bird (~3 lbs.), spatchcocked.
pps. If you can't find bahar asfar, try making it. It's as simple as grinding and mixing a bunch of spices and letting them hang out for a little while. And, fwiw, it turns out that the recipe for bahar asfar varies by household (gotta love an idiosyncratic spice blend), but here's one recipe, and here's another.
