Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Creole Cuisine Delight From Peru : Chicken in Spicy Nut Sauce














When making my "prívate oppinion  pull" about the favorites of Peruvian Creole Cuisine this dish made it  always on  the top ten list: Ajii de Gallina which doesn't have an exact translation but is best described as Chicken in Spicy Nut Sauce.
Present in every celebration and family meeting this classic has conquered the palates of even the most sceptic foodies.
The preparation of the recipe takes a bit of time and patience ( remember it was created in colonial times when every well to do family had a lot of helping hands in the kitchen) but it' s for sure worth while the effort and you will be well rewarded by its wonderful flavor.
You need:


3 complete chicken breasts (the original recipe calls for 1 hen or chicken but I prefer chicken breasts as they are lighter and not so messy to prepare)
2 celery stalks
1 carrot
3 medium cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 cup of chopped onion
1/2 packet of sliced toast bread
1-2 cups chicken stock
4 tablespoon ground fresh yellow chili (aji amarillo)
1 1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup of roughly chopped walnuts
1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
8 black olives for decoration
3 hard boiled eggs for decoration
3 spoonful chopped parsley for decoration
1 kg yellow (or other) boiled potatoes (optional)
Salt and pepper

Method:
In a large pan bring chicken breasts ,celery,carrot and a 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil and cook until tender.



Let cool down, then remove and shred the chicken into medium bite size pieces.



In a large pan heat oil , sauté onion until soft and translucent.



Add garlic stir well and finally add the ground yellow chili.



Mix well until all ingredients have blend in well.
Place the bread slices in a large glass recipient, pour the milk over the bread wait until bread has nearly soaked the liquid.



Mix in blender to obtain a creamy consistency.



Add the bread mixture to the onion- chili mixture,



add gradually 1 cup of chicken stock and cook for about 5 minutes (stirring constantly) or until obtaining a creamy consistency.



If necessary stir in some more chicken stock. Add a tablespoon of oil, stirring the mixture constantly.
Finally add the shred chicken, mix well



then add  shredded Parmesan and chopped walnuts.



Let simmer for some minutes stirring gently (be careful not to smash the chicken) until all ingredients have blend in well.
Extra tip: This creole dish is delicious but I'm not crazy about the color, so I often add some Palillo a yellow spice that is similar to Curcuma and adds a wonderful color touch. As I prepared the classic version, no Palillo or Curcuma has been added when taking the pictures.



Pour over the sliced potatoes  (optional). I prefer this dish without potatoes but the classic recipe calls for it.



Decorate with hard boiled eggs divided into four, and black olives. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Serve with rice.
Enjoy!  Serves 6-8 P.
See you next week.

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60 comments:

  1. Super impressed with your plating and presentation!

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  2. scrumptious dish...it is quite similar to an Indian korma with nut paste...can imagine the rich,creamy and absolutely lip smacking finish of this dish and we love walnuts...terrific recipe and beautiful food presentation as always,thanks for sharing :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How interesting that there is a similar dish in Indian Cuisine.
      Maybe we should try a Fusion dish once :)
      Thank you so much for your great feedback, I appreciate it very much!

      Delete
  3. Your presentation of this dish is so beautiful!

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  4. I was about to comment on the presentation of this and realized everyone else feels the same way I do. Gorgeous!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ashley,
      very happy to hear that you enjoyed the presentation!
      Cheers.

      Delete
  5. If I ever make it to Peru - and I hope I do - I'll be coming to your blog for ideas about what to eat!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Beth,
      Hope you can make this trip soon.
      Your very welcome for any orientation you might need, gourmet or otherwise :)
      Cheers.

      Delete
  6. Me encantó la presentación del plato, sale de lo común verdad? ya ves que estamos acostumbrados a poner el ají de gallina siempre sobre la papa, pero de esta forma es como más elegante...!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hola Nydia,
      me allegra mucho que lo ha gustado la presentación .He tratado de variar un poquito, ya que se dice que en la variedad está el gusto :)

      Delete
  7. This is absolutely gorgeous! Sounds absolutely delicious!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Jenn for your great feedback!
      Have a wonderful weekend.

      Delete
  8. All I need to do is to visit you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. .....and enjoy the sites,sounds and cuisine of this wonderful country!
      Looking forward or your visit :)

      Delete
  9. What a lovely and unique dish...I just love the presentation; thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So happy to hear that you enjoyed the post, Barb!
      Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  10. A beautiful chicken dish and love your presentation. Lovely post indeed :)

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  11. I'm always looking for new ways to cook chicken. Love this unique dish and spicy is always a plus in my book! :) Great post Daniela!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Anne,
      great to hear that this recipe will make it to your collection:)
      I do agree with you, chicken is so versatile and it's interesting to see how many ways there are to prepare it in different countries.
      Have a great day ahead!

      Delete
  12. Gosh, this looks so great! And the flavors look wonderful. Truly terrific stuff - thanks so much!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi John,
      Thank you so much for your great feedback, I always appreciate it.
      Cheers.

      Delete
  13. What a lovely dish and pretty presentation! It looks really unique and very yummy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Amy for your kind words, I 'm glad to hear you enjoyed the post!

      Delete
  14. Love international cuisines! So, this dish is from Peru? It looks lovely and your presentation is very cool, with an egg on top!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Julia,
      I wasn't quite sure how to do the presentation but as I can see from your feedback you enjoyed it, so I'm happy to get this feedback :)
      Cheers.

      Delete
  15. Hola Daniela despues de un tiempo si aparecer no por ganassi no por una mala tenporada, ya estamos por aqui otra vez, vengo a visitarte y me encuentro con esta delicia de plato, tiene que estar uhhhh se me hace la boca agua es pollo en salsa de nuez ,tomo nota de ello porque esto lo tengo que hacer, muchas gracias por ella un beso

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hola Conchi,
      que gusto tener noticias tuyas, ya te he extrañado!
      Gracias por tus palabras, me alegra que te gusto la receta.
      Un abrazo,

      Delete
  16. Replies
    1. Thank you Natalie for your kind words!
      Have a great day ahead.

      Delete
  17. I never saw anything with a Créole influence when I went to Peru, too bad because this looks amazing. Lovely presentation!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Evelyn,
      there are quite a lot of Creole dishes in Peru, especially in the coastal region.
      Hope you can taste them at your next trip in one of the restaurants that speicalize in Creole cuisine. (will be more than happy to give you some names of the best ones:) )
      Cheers

      Delete
  18. Hi Daniela, wow... very gorgeous and delightful. The chicken in spicy nut sauce look so inviting and mouthwatering. Nice plating!

    Have a lovely week ahead,regards.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Amelia,
      so happy to hear you enjoyed the post!
      As I've seen at your blog, there are so many wonderful chicken dishes in Malaysia too.
      Thanks for stopping by, have a great day!

      Delete
  19. Just mouthwatering...looks delicious!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kalyan,
      glad to hear you enjoyed the post.
      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  20. Beautiful presentation! I too prefer chicken breast...so much healthier and if done right, they are super too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Angie!
      You are so right, when chicken breast are well prepared, they are very tasty and juicy.
      Have a great day!

      Delete
  21. It looks gourmet and delicious.

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  22. I have no doubt in my mind that this is one extremely delicious dish. I am loving the recipe and sounds so tasty! Thank you for sharing and have a lovely week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sandra,
      glad to hear you liked the recipe.
      I've learned to appreciate Creole cuisine during my stay in Peru, its delightful and always a hit for a party!

      Delete
  23. I love the look of this dish and it's great to see something from Peru. It's a cuisine I'm not very familiar with. I think the boiled eggs and the olives would go very well with the flavours of the chicken xx

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  24. Hi Charlie,
    Peruvian cuisine is becoming quite an international success lately.
    There are superb Peruvian restaurants in the US,Madrid and London.
    One of them"Astrid y Gaston" has been the winner of several awards, its pricy but a real outstanding culinary experience.
    http://aygmadrid.com/cocina-peruana/
    Should I know about a real good one in Australia, I will led you know :)

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  25. Your recipe sounds delicious and your plating is beautiful. Your first photo looks like it could be on the cover of a food magazine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Karen for this sweet comment, I truly appreciated it!
      Have a great day.

      Delete
    2. Thank you Karen for this sweet comment, I truly appreciated it!
      Have a great day.

      Delete
    3. Thank you Karen for this sweet comment, I truly appreciated it!
      Have a great day.

      Delete
    4. Thank you Karen,for this sweet comment, I truly appreciate it!

      Delete
  26. The spicy nut sauce has really enchanted me...YUM!

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  27. Daniela, you have excellent plating skills! What a great chicken dish.

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  28. What a tasty dish Daniela...I can only imagine the creamy sauce with the rice...yum!

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  29. Actually it's always a success when I prepare it for a party.
    Wish I could invite you, so you can try for yourself, Juliana.
    Thanks for stopping by!

    ReplyDelete
  30. This looks like a bowl of comforting yellow "chili". What a unique use of evaporated milk :)

    ReplyDelete
  31. I've never tried this dish before. We're going to our favorite Peruvian restaurant this weekend and I'm super excited! This creamy sauce sounds really delicious!

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  32. what a great idea...
    i guess this would be suits as sandwitch stuffing too!

    ReplyDelete

 
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