Chicken sosaties with apricot and curry

Name: Chicken sosaties with apricot and curry
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 1 kg (2.2 lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3 cm (1 inch) pieces; 150 g (1 cup) dried apricots; 2 onions, cut into wedges and separated into layers; 12 skewers; 2 tablespoons oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger; 2 tablespoons mild curry powder; 1 teaspoon turmeric; 125 ml (1/2 cup) smooth apricot jam; 80 ml (1/3 cup) white vinegar; 125 ml (1/2 cup) water; 2 bay leaves; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Skewers of chicken thigh, dried apricot and onion in a sweet, mild Cape curry marinade.

Coals: Medium coals
Prep: 30 min
On the fire: 15 min
Plan ahead: 4 hours marinating
Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 kg (2.2 lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3 cm (1 inch) pieces
150 g (1 cup) dried apricots
2 onions, cut into wedges and separated into layers
12 skewers

Marinade

2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons mild curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
125 ml (1/2 cup) smooth apricot jam
80 ml (1/3 cup) white vinegar
125 ml (1/2 cup) water
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Method

Make the marinade. Heat the oil in a small pot and cook the chopped onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder and turmeric and stir for 1 minute.
Add the jam, vinegar, water, bay leaves and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes, then leave it to cool completely.
Pour a third of the cooled marinade into a clean jar and put it in the fridge. This is for basting.
Mix the chicken with the rest of the marinade. Cover and keep in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Soak the dried apricots in hot water for 20 minutes and drain. If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes.
Thread chicken, apricot and onion onto the skewers. Throw away the marinade the raw chicken sat in.
Cook over medium coals for 12 to 15 minutes, turning every few minutes. Brush with the marinade you set aside during the last 5 minutes.

Done when: the chicken is firm, the edges are lightly charred, and a thermometer in the thickest piece reads 74°C (165°F).

Tips

The jam burns over hot coals. If the outside darkens too fast, raise the grid.
Thigh meat stays juicy. Breast meat works but dries out if it cooks a minute too long.
Lamb is the traditional meat for sosaties. Use cubed leg of lamb and marinate it overnight.

Sosaties come from Cape Malay cooking in Cape Town, and the mix of curry spice, fruit and vinegar is typical of it. The marinade is cooked first, which softens the spices and lets you keep some aside safely for basting.