COUNTRY CAPTAIN CHICKEN RECIPE BY MAYAFOODS

Country Captain is a curried chicken and rice dish, which is popular in the Southern United States. It was introduced to the U.S. through Charleston, Savannah, New York and Philadelphia, but has origins in India.

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INGREDIENTS

COUNTRY CAPTAIN

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. bacon fat
• 1 whole chicken (cut into 10 pieces: wings, legs, thighs, and quarter breasts), patted dry with paper towels and seasoned with coarse salt and ground black pepper
• 2 cups diced yellow onion
• 2 cups diced celery
• 2 cups diced green bell pepper
• 1 fresh hot chili powder, seeded and minced
• 1 tsp. garlic paste 
• Homemade curry powder (recipe below)
• 2 cups good-quality canned tomatoes, chopped 1 cup tomato juice (reserved from can)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup seedless raisins

HOMEMADE CURRY POWDER

• 1 tbsp. ground ginger
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 2 tsp. Hungarian paprika
• 2 tsp. freshly ground coriander
• 2 tsp. freshly ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground clove
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch Colman’s mustard powder
• 1 pinch dried thyme

PREPARATION

• Place large ovenproof braiser 
or oval Dutch oven (in which the chicken fits in a single layer) over moderate heat, and melt butter and bacon fat until slightly foaming about 3 to 5 minutes. Raise heat, add chicken, and brown well on all sides. Remove crisped pieces to a platter, continuing until all pieces are golden brown.

• Lower heat to moderate and add the onion, celery, peppers, and garlic, using a wooden spoon to stir well.

• Slowly add curry powder, stirring well to evenly coat all the vegetables, and cook until they are tender, stirring frequently about 7 to 10 minutes.

• Add tomatoes, tomato juice, stock, and bay leaves, 
and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits.

• Bring liquid to simmer, return chicken to pot, and cover tightly.

• Cook on top of the stove over a low flame until chicken is cooked through, about 35 to 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• To serve: Transfer chicken to beds of rice in shallow bowls, sprinkle with raisins and serve surrounded by condiments 
like grated toasted fresh coconut, thinly sliced scallions, crushed roasted peanuts or almonds, green tomato or apple chutney, pickled hot peppers, or pickled okra.

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Fish Tacos Recipe By Maya Foods

Fish Tacos have been part of Mexico’s culinary heritage for well over a hundred years. These folded tortillas can be stuffed with any number of fillings—with each Mexican state claiming stake to their own. Fish tacos are said to come from Baja California, Mexico’s northernmost state. While the original fish taco was made with deep-fried fish, this recipe—made with sautéed fish—is a delicious and fresh version. This recipe is easily doubled, which makes it a great dish to make when entertaining a crowd.

 Magic of MayaFood Spices

Ingredients:

• 1 pound firm white fish, such as tilapia, snapper, cod, mahi mahi, or catfish
• 2 medium limes, halved
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for oiling the grill grates
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 small head of green or red cabbage (about 14 ounces), cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 6 to 8 soft (6-inch) corn tortillas
• Sliced avocado, for garnish (optional)
• Guacamole, for garnish (optional, see above)
• Salsa, for garnish (optional, see above)
• Sour cream, for garnish (optional)
• Hot sauce, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Place the fish in a baking dish and squeeze a lime half over it. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season with salt and pepper and turn the fish in the marinade until evenly coated. Refrigerate and let marinate at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the slaw and warm the tortillas.
2. Combine the cabbage, onion, and cilantro in a large bowl and squeeze a lime half over it. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary; set aside.
3. Warm the tortillas by heating a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tortilla at a time, flipping to warm both sides, about 5 minutes total. Wrap the warm tortillas in a clean dishcloth and set aside while you prepare the fish.
4. Brush the grates of a grill pan or outdoor grill with oil and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Remove the fish from the marinade and place on the grill.
5. Cook without moving until the underside of the fish has grill marks and is white and opaque on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip and grill the other side until white and opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes more. (It’s OK if it breaks apart while you’re flipping.) Transfer the fish to a plate.
6. Taste the slaw again and season as needed with more lime juice. Slice the remaining lime halves into wedges and serve with the tacos. To construct a taco, break up some of the cooked fish, place it in a warm tortilla, and top it with slaw and any optional garnishes.

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