Goan Chicken Cafreal is a spicy, tangy, and rustic preparation where chicken is marinated in a green-colored Cafreal paste before cooking. It is a traditional Goan recipe made in almost all Goan homes (gluten-free).
Here are some more Goan recipes that you may like – Goan Shrimp Vindaloo, Goan Fish Curry, Traditional Goan Prawn Curry, Coconut Shrimp Curry, and Chicken Vindaloo.
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About Chicken Cafreal
Chicken Cafreal is a Portuguese-influenced dish in Goan cuisine. It is pretty popular among the local restaurants and homes.
To make Chicken Cafreal, bone-in chicken thighs are marinated with a spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet green-colored Cafreal masala paste and then cooked in a pan until well done.
Some Goan homes also add a splash of dark rum at the end of cooking, which adds a beautiful flavor of its own.
Serve Chicken Cafreal as an appetizer or a side dish with any Goan-style meal. It can also be served with a refreshing salad or soup for a healthy meal.
This recipe is gluten-free and can be easily doubled or tripled.
Ingredients
For The Cafreal Paste
To make Cafreal paste, you will need a few basic pantry ingredients such as cumin seeds, white poppy seeds, whole black peppercorns (kali mirch), cinnamon (dalchini), cloves (laung), cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), fresh mint leaves, fresh ginger, green chilies, lime juice, and tamarind paste.
You can replace the lime juice with white vinegar to make chicken Cafreal recipe.
Adjust the green chilies as per your taste.
Others
You will also need chicken, turmeric powder, salt, sugar, and vegetable oil.
Use bone-in chicken thighs with legs for the best flavor. You can also use a whole chicken cut into 1-½ inch pieces.
If you are not a bone-in chicken person, then use boneless chicken cut into bite-sized pieces.
How To Make Chicken Cafreal
Make The Cafreal Paste
Add
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoon white poppy seeds
- ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
- 5-6 cloves
- 1 cup cilantro (packed, rinsed)
- ¼ cup mint (packed, rinsed)
- 2 teaspoon chopped ginger
- 4-5 cloves of peeled garlic
- 4-5 medium-spicy green chilies
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoon tamarind pulp
to a blender along with 2 tablespoon water.
Blend to make a smooth paste. Scrape the sides of the blender a few times.
Marinate The Chicken
Wash 4 bone-in chicken legs with thighs and pat them dry using paper towels.
Make gashes using a sharp knife in the chicken.
Add the chicken pieces to a large bowl.
Add the Cafreal paste, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar to the bowl and mix well.
Cover the bowl with a cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or 12 hours for the best result).
Fry The Chicken
Heat 4 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wide pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, arrange the chicken pieces in the pan in a single layer.
Fry undisturbed for 5 minutes on each side.
Add the leftover marinade to the pan along with ¼ cup of water and mix gently.
Reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes.
Remove the lid and increase the heat to high.
Cook until the chicken pieces are dry. Flip a few times while cooking. Serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can. Add some water to the ready chicken and bring the curry to a boil.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken Cafreal can be served on its own with a side of fries, wedges, or a refreshing salad.
I also like to serve it on the side with my simple weekday meal of dal and rice or weekend indulgent Goan meals.
Storage Suggestions
Chicken Cafreal can be stored in an air-tight container for about 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in a pan or microwave before serving.
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Recipe Card
Goan Chicken Cafreal Recipe
Ingredients
For The Cafreal Paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons white poppy seeds
- ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick (dalchini)
- 5-6 cloves (laung)
- 1 cup cilantro (fresh coriander leaves) (packed, rinsed)
- ¼ cup mint leaves (packed, rinsed)
- 2 teaspoons peeled and chopped ginger
- 4-5 peeled garlic cloves
- 4-5 green chilies (medium spicy)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp
To Marinate The Chicken
- 4 bone-in skinless whole chicken legs with thighs
- Cafreal paste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions
Make The Cafreal Paste
- Add all the ingredients to a blender along with 2 tablespoons of water.
- Blend to make a smooth paste. Scrape the sides of the blender a few times.
Marinate The Chicken
- Wash chicken pieces and pat them dry using paper towels.
- Make gashes using a sharp knife in the chicken.
- Add the chicken pieces to a large bowl.
- Add the Cafreal paste, turmeric powder, salt, and sugar to the bowl and mix well.
- Cover the bowl with a cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or 12 hours for the best result).
Fry The Chicken
- Heat oil in a large wide pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, arrange the chicken pieces in the pan in a single layer.
- Fry undisturbed for 5 minutes on each side.
- Add the leftover marinade to the pan along with ¼ cup of water and mix gently.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove the lid and increase the heat to high.
- Cook until the chicken pieces are dry. Flip a few times while cooking. Serve hot.
P.Richards
How can it be green with tamarind paste which is black?
Neha Mathur
The proportion of tamarind paste as compared to the greens is very less.