A recipe
from Polly…

Dinners at our home were a special occasion. Mom experimented with recipes from all over the world. Here's a southern recipe she often served called Country Captain. It is a curried chicken, popular in the South, but originated in India. The legend is that a British Sea Captain, who served in India, introduced it to locals either through Charleston or Savannah. How amazing that it made it to our family table in the 1960s!

(Keep in mind, Mom wasn't very specific on directions or measurement in her recipes.)

Here it is:

• 1 cut up chicken, dusted with seasoned flour and browned in butter. (This recipe reflects a time when you bought a whole chicken and cut it up yourself. You could use chicken thighs or breasts cut up, whatever you like.)

• After browning the chicken in butter, remove and drain chicken.  Keep drippings in pan.

• Put browned chicken in a casserole dish with a lid.

Saute in pan drippings:

• 1 chopped onion

• 1 minced clove

• 1 chopped green pepper

• 1 1/2 T curry powder

• When onions are transparent, add 2 cups of stewed tomatoes. (I add a large can of stewed tomatoes.)

• Add 2 cups of chicken broth. (You can add less tomatoes and broth.  It depends how thick you like the “gravy” that goes with this dish.)

• Simmer till deglazed.

• Pour over chicken, cover and put in a 350 degree oven. (It just needs to heat thoroughly and flavors marinate.)

White Rice

• 1 cup long grain white rice

• 2 cups chicken stock 

• 1T butter

• Dash of salt and pepper if you like

• Boil according to directions

To Serve:

• Spread cooked rice on the bottom of a platter.

• Put chicken and sauce on top of rice.

Top with:

• 1 cup toasted sliced almonds

• 1/4 cup currants

This whole dish can be adjusted to your taste.

I add more sliced almonds and currants because we love them.

I also make more rice because I have a large family.

Even the grandchildren love this dish!

Enjoy!