ROYAL WELCOME:
Consul General of India in Cape Town Abhishek Shukla(left), Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille with High Commissioner of India to South Africa, Ruchira Kamboj, (to her left) led the welcoming of INSV Tarini crew members. From left to right, Lieutenant Patarapalli Swathi, Lieutenant Vijaya Devi, Lieutenant Payal Gupta, Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi, Lieutenant Commander Pratibha Jamwal, and Lieutenant Aishwarya Boddapati.
COMPONENTS that are cut to cook evenly at the same time and a blend of savoury spices make this simple meal work on a single baking sheet.
Ras el hanout is a complex spice blend with North African roots; you can make your own or buy it.
It will help to have an instant-read thermometer (for the chicken).
Make Ahead: The spice mixture can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to several weeks.
INGREDIENTS About 1½ tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the baking sheet 1 tablespoon home-made or store-bought ras el hanout (may substitute garam masala; see headnote) 1 teaspoon ground sumac (may substitute the finely grated zest of 1 lemon plus a pinch of salt) ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed Pinch ground harissa ground cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon honey 2 large apples, Honeycrisp 2 lemons, one cut in half 1 medium red onion, trimmed and cut into quarters About 8 large leaves curly kale, stemmed and torn into large pieces 2 skin-on, bone-in chicken breast halves (about ½ kg total), cut in half (may substitute 4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs)
DIRECTIONS Preheat the
oven
to or preferably
230 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminium foil or a double layer of parchment paper; oil the surface.
To make the spice mixture, stir together the ras el hanout, sumac, the ¾ teaspoon of salt, the ¼ teaspoon of black pepper and the harissa or cayenne pepper, then stir in the honey and 1 teaspoon of the oil, which will turn the mixture into a paste.
Peel the apples, core them and cut them in half horizontally. Squeeze the juice from a lemon half over the apples and rub it in (to keep the fruit from discolouring).
Arrange the apple halves cut side up on the baking sheet, using one half of the pan for the apples and the onion, and spoon some of the spice mixture on top of each apple (about of the mixture, total, spooned around the top of each).
Put the onion quarters on the sheet, then drizzle a teaspoon or two of the oil over them and season each lightly with salt and a little black pepper.
Season the torn kale with a little salt, rubbing the salt into the leaves, and then toss with 1 teaspoon or so of the oil. (They will wilt a bit.) Arrange the kale on the other half of the baking sheet.
Cut each chicken breast crosswise in half (for a total of 4 pieces; if you’re using thighs, leave them whole). Rub the remaining spice mixture into the chicken pieces, on all sides. Place the chicken on top of the kale, tucking the leaves of kale in so that most THE Indian Navy’s INSV Tarini all-women crew, currently circumnavigating the globe, received a rousing welcome when they docked in Cape Town on Friday.
They were received by mayor Patricia de Lille, SA Navy Rear Admiral (JG) EM Masanabo, High Commissioner of India to South Africa Ruchira Kamboj, the Consul General of India in Cape Town and defence adviser of the High Commission of India Captain Manjit M Thomas.
Capetonians also made their way to the V&A Waterfront to welcome the crew, as did members of the Indian diaspora and pupils of St Paul’s Primary School.
The crew’s day of arrival coincided with the festival of Holi which was celebrated around the the world.
Holi, the festival of colours, signifies the victory of good over evil, and the coincidence was seen to appropriately celebrate the accomplishment of the crew members and their grit, determination and perseverance.
The festival was celebrated with a splash of colours and dash of drums. of them are covered by the chicken.
Squeeze the juice from the remaining half of the lemon over the chicken. Cut the squeezed lemon halves in half and nestle those quarters among the chicken pieces.
Roast (middle rack) for 25 to 35 minutes or until a thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the chicken registers 74 degrees.
Cut the remaining lemon into quarters for serving, for squeezing over the chicken, apples and kale.
Divide the chicken, apples, kale and onion quarters among individual plates; serve right away.
RECIPE SOURCE: From cookbook author Dorie Greenspan.
INSV Tarini will berth in Cape Town until March 14, and crew members will have several engagements, including formal calls on local leadership and interaction with students of UWC.
De Lille said it was a great honour to welcome the first Indian all-women crew.
“These young women are not only an inspiration to women from India, but to thousands of Capetonians and women across the world. It shows that when women are given the opportunity, they can achieve anything they want with hard work.
“In total the Indian crew will cover a distance of 21 600 nautical miles and do it without any engine for propulsion. On their return to India they will cross the equator for the second time.
“Less than 200 years ago, many women from India came to the Cape but never crossed the equator for a second time to return to India.
“They were enslaved by the Dutch and English and brought to Cape Town’s shores to work hard labour.
“It is this hurtful history that will always bind us as two nations through our shared heritage,” De Lille said.
• The public is today invited to an inauguration of a special photo exhibition covering the historic voyage of the INSV Tarini. This will be at the Main Hall, Royal Cape Yacht Club, Duncan Road, Table Bay Harbour from 3pm to 4.30pm.