This recipe might seem like a lot of ingredients but once they are in the mini chopper, and blitzed, that’s all the hard work is done! This recipe is very specific to Goa; packed full of flavor and including coconut.
If you have any paste left over, it freezes well.
Top Tip – Because this recipe uses a lot of coriander, each time I buy a bunch, I cut the stalks off and freeze them in a bag ready for the next time I make a cafreal.
- 5 cloves (lightly crushed)
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground star anise
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- 120 g coriander stalks (about 2 bunches)
- 5 cm piece of ginger (peeled, roughly chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 large green chilies
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 5 tbsp dried coconut
- Chicken breasts (cut into pieces)
- Mini chopper / blender (for the paste)
- Knife & chopping board
- Mixing bowl (to marinate chicken)
- Grill or oven with grill setting
- Tray for grilling
- 1 Prepare the spice mix:
- Crush the cloves and measure out all spices (salt, sugar, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, chili, turmeric, coriander, cumin).
- Add coriander stalks, ginger, garlic, and green chilies.
- Blitz everything in a mini chopper until smooth.
- Mix in vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce, and dried coconut. Blend again.
- This paste can be stored in the freezer or fridge (up to 4 days).
- Marinate the chicken:
- Cut chicken breasts into medium-sized pieces.
- Coat generously with the prepared cafreal paste.
- Cover and refrigerate for 2–24 hours.
- Cook the chicken:
- Preheat the grill to high.
- Place chicken pieces on a tray and grill for 4–5 minutes on each side (time may vary by thickness).
- Cook until the chicken is done and slightly charred.
Ingredients
- 5 cloves lightly crushed
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground star anise
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- 120 g coriander stalks about 2 bunches
- 5 cm piece of ginger peeled, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 green chilies large
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 5 tbsp dried coconut
- Chicken breasts cut into pieces
Instructions
Prepare the spice mix:
- Crush the cloves and measure out all spices (salt, sugar, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, chili, turmeric, coriander, cumin).
- Add coriander stalks, ginger, garlic, and green chilies.
- Blitz everything in a mini chopper until smooth.
- Mix in vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce, and dried coconut. Blend again.
- This paste can be stored in the freezer or fridge (up to 4 days).
Marinate the chicken:
- Cut chicken breasts into medium-sized pieces.
- Coat generously with the prepared cafreal paste.
- Cover and refrigerate for 2–24 hours.
Cook the chicken:
- Preheat the grill to high.
- Place chicken pieces on a tray and grill for 4–5 minutes on each side (time may vary by thickness).
- Cook until the chicken is done and slightly charred.
Nutrition
Calories: 75kcalCarbohydrates: 8.1g</