Episode 6: Cornish Hens Filipino Style with Malaka Gharib
“It was almost like my true roots were exposed by sharing this recipe with you,” says Malaka Gharib of the special family dish she talks about in this episode: Cornish hens with traditional Filipino seasonings of soy sauce and lemon - a dish that only her mother had ever cooked, until Rajesh tries it out in the show.
“This is the humble food I grew up with,” adds Malaka, “and this was our idea back then of fancy, of American.”
As a child growing up in California with Filipino and Egyptian parents, Malaka recalls being encouraged to “suppress the Filipino and Egyptianness so you could succeed in this country.”
Now an NPR editor, cartoonist, and author of two graphic novel memoirs (“I Was their American Dream” and “It Won’t Always Be Like This”), Malaka says she has worked hard to get back in touch with her unique heritage - to find her flavor.
“After writing a book about it….now I know that when I say I’m American too, my experience as a Filipino-Egyptian-American…. is completely as valid as any other American’s.”
Rajesh sticks with the poultry theme and shares one of his mother’s chicken curry recipes. You can find and enjoy both recipes on this page.
Food is an expression of our shared humanity, and everyone has a food story to tell. What’s yours? Get in touch at rajesh@findingourflavor.com. And if you try any of these recipes, email and let us know how they turned out - if you send us a voice note, we might use it in a future episode!
Episode 6 Recipes
Fleur’s Cornish Hens Filipino Style with Malaka Gharib
Ingredients
2 Cornish hens
6 rashers of bacon, cut into 1-inch squares
1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
½ tsp Dash seasoning (Rajesh used twice as much)
1 tsp lemon pepper (Rajesh used twice as much)
1 cup soy sauce
Juice of one whole lemon (Rajesh recommends scaling up by half a lemon if using extra seasonings above, or squeeze fresh lemon over the top when serving)
Butter or margarine to grease the bottom of a casserole dish or roasting pan
Method
In a large bowl, mix together the Dash seasoning, lemon pepper, lemon and soy sauce. Add the hens, and coat them thoroughly with the marinade. Cover the bowl tightly, and leave in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing mixture: Mix together the peas and carrots with the small squares of bacon.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a casserole dish with a generous serving of butter or margarine.
Take the hens out of the fridge, take hold of one at a time and stuff them generously with the pea/carrot/bacon mixture, and then place on the casserole dish, breast-side up. Spoon the remaining filling around the chicken in the pan. Reserve any remaining marinade.
Make sure to wash your hands with soap after handling raw poultry.
Roast the chicken for 90 minutes, but check after 60. Check they are done by inserting a sharp thin knife into the breast meat – clear juices should bubble up.
When it’s done, pour the remaining marinade onto the chicken and keep basting every 10 minutes until the skin is golden brown. (Note: Timing is not exact here - use your discretion to judge when it’s done, or when you just can’t stand those delicious smells anymore!)
Serve with hot jasmine rice, with a little bit of pea mixture and sauce on top.
Rajesh’s Mom’s Chicken Curry with Yoghurt and Tomato Masala.
Ingredients
For the chicken marinade:
2lbs chicken thighs or drumsticks (skinless, and if using thighs, boneless)
6 dessertspoons (or around 12 tsps) Greek yoghurt
1½ generously heaped tsp garam masala
1 generously heaped tsp cumin powder
For the tomato masala:
2-3 medium onions, finely chopped (more onion will create more gravy, so it’s your call),
6-8 dsps (or 4-5 tbsp) vegetable oil (seems a lot, but it needs it!)
6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1-1½” ginger (depending on the width of the ginger), peeled and chopped
1 green chili, deseeded and chopped
¾ can chopped tomatoes
½ - 1 level tsp salt (start with ½ as you can always add more - Rajesh didn’t need it)
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp coriander powder
3 dsps chopped fresh coriander
Up to a cup of water if needed.
Method
First marinade the chicken: To a large bowl add the yoghurt and chicken, then add the garam masala and cumin. Mix everything together and coat the chicken pieces thoroughly and evenly. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least two hours, and upto overnight.
When ready to cook, take the chicken out of the fridge to come to room temperature.
Heat the oil on medium, and when hot, add onions, stir to coat and fry for several minutes till they start to soften but have not turned brown.
Add the garlic, ginger, and chili, stir and fry for around 3-5 minutes till the spices are frying and releasing their aroma, and the first edges of the onions start to brown.
Turn the heat to low, and add the turmeric and coriander, stir to mix and warm the spices through.
Take the chicken pieces out of the marinade and add to the pot with whatever marinade clings to them (you may not have much marinade left which is fine, just don’t add more).
Turn up the heat so the chicken pieces brown. After a few minutes stir and turn the chicken pieces to brown the other sides.
When chicken is browned, add the tomatoes, scooping and using the fleshy parts from the can first. Add fresh coriander and salt, and stir to mix everything.
Cover and leave to cook, but check and stir frequently to prevent sticking. After around 5 minutes, check if the tomato pieces have broken down, and if so, add some of the tomato juices (but don’t go over ¾ of a can in total).
Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low, cover and leave to simmer, stirring and checking every 5-10 minutes. Taste for salt and add more if desired.
After around 15-20 minutes, the chicken should be cooked through and tender. The remnants of the yoghurt and the chicken will both have released some liquid and you want them to have combined with the other ingredients to make a mouthwatering gravy!
If you prefer a thinner gravy, add some of the water and let that cook for a few minutes until you reach your desired consistency. Serve with naan or rice.