/Meat & Poultry (Page 44)
Meat & Poultry Soups & Stews

Caribbean Smoked Turkey Soup

Smoked and/or salted meats are a must for a good Caribbean soup, so when my eyes crossed paths with the smoked turkey legs when we were out shopping a few days back.. let’s just say we shared a connection. Soups in the Caribbean are thick and hearty as most stews are in North America, so if this is your first time learning about how we make soups, don’t get alarmed. If you can’t source smoked turkey legs, you can certainly use necks or wings and if all fails, use any smoked meat you can source (ham bone, ham hocks..etc).

You’ll Need…

1 smoked turkey leg
2 potato
1 sweet potato
1lb dasheen
4 eddoes
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pack Grace cock soup
water (10-14 cups)
1 carrot
1 sweet corn
fresh thyme (4 sprigs)
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 cup black eye peas
1 tablespoon veg oil
4 okra
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 scallions

Optional – (flour dumplings)
1 1/2 cup   all purpose flour
pinch of sugar
water

Notes. Optional ingredients – yam, green banana, cassava.. etc. If you don’t have the Grace cock soup.. use a spicy noodle soup (Maggi) or chicken stock. You can add any greens you like (spinach, callaloo etc) or  cabbage as well . And a nice addition would be some cubed pumpkin.

Chop the onion, garlic, scallions and herbs. Then heat the oil in a deep soup pot and add the chopped ingredients. Allow that to cook for 3-5 minutes on low heat. To soften the onion and create a wonderful flavor base.

Wash and drain the black eye peas (a good substitute would be yellow split peas) and add it to the pot along with the chopped carrot. Then add the smoked turkey leg and  pour in the water, add the scotch bonnet pepper, salt and black pepper. Bring to a oil and reduce to a simmer.

Allow to to simmer away for 45- 60 minutes or until the peas are tender. In the meantime peel and prep the root vegetables. Using a potato peel or sharp pairing knife, remove the skin off the dasheen, eddoes, potato, sweet potato and remove the stems off the okra. Try to cut each in even sized pieces so they cook evenly. If you prepped this before it time to place it in the pot, remember to cover will cool water to prevent them from going discoloured. The corn is optional, but I like adding it. Cut each corn into 4-5 pieces and give a good rinse before adding to the pot.

After 50 minutes or so the peas should be tender and you should have a pot packed with flavour. Remove the smoked turkey leg and set aside to cool. Now gently add everything into the pot  and bring to a boil, including the packet of ‘cock’ soup. If you find that the liquid does not cover the vegetables, add a bit more water.

Strip the pieces of meat off the bone and add back to the pot.. add back the bone as well for additional flavor.

Usually it takes between 25 – 35 minutes to cook after you’ve added the vegetables. You’re looking for a thick consistency and the dasheen and other vegetables should be tender to the point where it starts to fall apart. Try not to over stir or you’ll end up with porridge.

Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. If you’re adding flour dumplings, do so the last 7 minutes so they have time to fully cook. Remember that as this soup cools it will thicken further, so don’t worry if it seems a bit thin when it’s hot.

An absolute treat! This soup is loaded with goodness and don’t be surprised if you get a case of the sleepies after you’ve done damage on a bowl. Remember to fish the scotch bonnet pepper out of the pot and try your best not to burst it during cooking.. or you’ll release the dragon!

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Recipe Card

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 25 mins Cook Time 1 hr Total Time 1 hr 25 mins
Servings: 6

Description

A rich, smoky Caribbean soup full of root vegetables, beans, and optional dumplings, perfect for feeding a crowd.

Ingredients

Soup Base

Beans & Vegetables

Aromatics & Seasonings

Optional

Dumplings

Instructions

Video
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic, scallions, thyme, and oregano. Sauté for 3–5 minutes until fragrant and softened.
  2. Stir in black eye peas and carrot. Add smoked turkey leg and pour in 10–14 cups water. Add scotch bonnet pepper, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  3. Simmer uncovered for 45–60 minutes, or until peas are tender. Meanwhile, peel and cube the dasheen, eddoes, potatoes, and sweet potato. Remove stems from okra. Cut corn into pieces and rinse well.
  4. Once peas are tender, remove smoked turkey leg and set aside to cool. Add prepared vegetables, corn, tomato paste, and Grace cock soup mix to the pot. Add more water if needed to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil.
  5. Strip meat from the turkey leg and return both meat and bone to the pot. Simmer for 25–35 minutes, until vegetables are soft and soup has thickened. Avoid over-stirring to prevent the soup from becoming too starchy.
  6. Taste and adjust salt if needed. If using dumplings, mix flour, sugar, and water to form dough. Pinch into small pieces and add in the final 7 minutes of cooking.
  7. Remove and discard the scotch bonnet pepper before serving.
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Meat & Poultry

Stewed Beef With String Beans.

Green beans of all kinds are a favorite of mine, so finding ways to add extra flavor and texture to them is something I’m constantly experimenting with. Like the Stew Chicken With String Beans I shared with you a while back, this stewed beef with string beans is almost identical. However by using beef instead of chicken, you’ll notice a subtle difference in the overall taste of the completed dish.

This dish was usually made by our mom when she had some leftover Caribbean style stewed meats  from the night before (beef, pork or chicken) and even as a child, it was a hit with me. As a matter of fact.. it was a hit with all of her four children. Our dad was never and still isn’t a picky eater, so he’ll do damage to anything placed in front of him (with the exception of pork).

 

You’ll Need…

1 lb beef – cubed into 1 inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 cloves of garlic – thinly sliced or crushed
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion – chopped
1 medium tomato – chopped
1 tablespoon green seasoning
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1 scallion
1 lime or lemon or 3 tablespoons of vinegar
1.5 lbs string beans (trimmed)

 

Trim the beef into 1 inch cubes, then wash with cool water and juice of the lime, lemon or vinegar, Drain dry and set aside as we prep the ingredients we’ll be using to marinate it with.  Chop the tomato, onion, scallion and garlic. Remember to wear gloves when chopping the scotch bonnet pepper, don’t include any seeds as that’s where the raw heat is and do wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such hot peppers.

In a large blow, place the washed beef pieces and season with the salt, black pepper, grate in the ginger, green seasoning, worcestershire sauce, ketchup and all the ingredients we chopped. Give it a good stir and allow that to marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes.. 2 hours would be best though. (all you should have left is the veg oil, brown sugar, beans and water from the ingredient list).

Remove from the fridge and allow it to come back to room temp (about 10 minutes) and get ready  to ‘stew’. If you’ve never seen this done you may find it a bit strange, since we’re making a sort of caramel and you’ll think it will be sweet. NOPE! Heat the oil in a large heavy pot (one with a lid) , then stir in the brown sugar. It’s important that you have a long handle (dry) spoon and have the seasoned beef close at hand. This step can be a bit tricky, so be prepared. The long handle spoon is to prevent getting hit with splatters of that hot oil/caramel as you add the seasoned pieces of beef to the pot. Your heat should be med/high and you’ll start to see it smoke and the sugar will start to melt. Keep stirring until you see it go frothy and start to change colour. When it reaches a dark brown colour, it’s time to add the seasoned beef to the pot. Add small batches at a time and keep stirring. Try to avoid the sugar/caramel going black or you’ll end up with bitter tasting beef. Watch the video below to see exactly how I did it.

If you’re wondering.. yes, the marinade all went into the pot. The goal here is to create a lovely flavor base and rich colour. Give it a good stir once you have all the pieces of beef in the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a rolling boil (it will spring it’s own natural juices). Cover the pot and let that go for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, take off the lid and crank up the heat to burn off all that liquid. In the same bowl you marinated the beef, add the 2 cups of water and swish it around to pick up any remaining marinade.

With all the liquid gone from the pot, add the water from the bowl to the pot and bring to a boil. In case you’re wondering why we burnt off the liquid only to add more, here’s why… t his step infuses the meat with the rich flavor and created a lovely depth of colour which we needed as a base for this stewed beef with string beans. As it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, place the lid on the pot and allow that to cook for about 50-60 minutes. The idea is to have this beef very tender.

As this simmers away, it time to trim and wash the string beans. If you don’t have string beans, you can certainly use bodi (yard beans) or any type of green beans you may have. Trim off the ends and discard, then break (or cut) into 1 to 1.5 inch pieces. Give it  a wash and allow to drain.

After 50 minutes (remember to stir every 5-7 minutes) you should have tender beef pieces and your kitchen should have a wicked Caribbean scent. There should still be a little liquid in the pot, so start adding the trimmed beans in and give it a good stir. Take the heat up to med and bring to a boil. With the little liquid we have, it will be almost like steaming the beans in the stewed beef.

Here’s where you’ll personalize this dish. I allowed the pot to go for about 12 minutes after adding the beans as I like the beans to maintain a bit of that lovely green colour and have a little ‘bite’ to them. If you like your beans cooked soft, you’ll have to cook it a bit longer. Taste for salt at this point and adjust accordingly. Turn up the heat to burn off any liquid.

This dish is loaded with flavors and uniquely Caribbean! As a side dish it can serve about 5 people and goes well with rice or roti… but Tehya and I usually eat it like a stir fry when we can’t wait for the rice to be done cooking. It’s also great on sandwiches!

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Meat & Poultry

Island Style Chicken Strips.

After posting  the video recipe for these island style chicken strips on the Youtube channel, it quickly became one of the most requested recipes. Following on the technique we’d use for making fried chicken when I was a kid on the islands (still remember pounding the Crix crackers to make the crumbs), these could easily be the best chicken strips you’ll ever have. While making the Mango Honey Mustard BBQ Sauce I felt I needed to have something to go along with it and I really didn’t feel like grilling, so I went freezer diving and came up with a couple chicken breast. The rest is delicious history.

 

You’ll Need…

2 chicken breast (split) about 1 lb
2 eggs
2 scallions
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
salted crackers (about 1.5 cups crumbs)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 cups oil for frying (veg oil)
3/4 cup all purpose flour

Notes. I used a bone in chicken breast which I got the strips from, but you’re free to use boneless chicken breast if you’d like to save on time. Remember to wash the strips with the juice of a lime or lemon and cool water, then drain dry.

Place the crackers in a zip lock bag or in a tea towel and using a rolling pi or wine bottle, crush until you have the consistency of bread crumbs. I like a bit of texture, so I try to leave some of it a bit chunky. Set aside in a bowl.

Chop (finely) the scallions, thyme and parsley. Then add it to the bowl with the cracker crumbs and give it a good stir. I know this step is a bit strange to my Caribbean readers as we’re seasoning the bread crumbs and not the chicken as we would traditionally do.

Cut the chicken into 1/4 inch strips (don’t fuss with being even), wash, drain and set aside. Crack both eggs into another bowl and toss in the black pepper and salt and give it a whisk. We now have the chicken cut into pieces, the seasoned crumbs and eggs. It’s time to set up a batter and frying station. We’ll need the veg oil in a deep pan (I used a small wok so the oil doesn’t splatter onto the stove while frying) on med/high heat, a plate with the flour, the seasoned crumbs, the chicken strips, egg wash and have a paper towel lined plate or basket to drian off the excess oil when the chicken strips are done cooking.

Take a piece of chicken and dust it in the flour, then into the eggs (make sure it’s covered in the eggs mix) and drain off the excess egg and roll in the seasoned bread crumbs. Do about 4-5 of these so once you start adding to the hot oil, you’ll have a few to go in at the same time.

Your oil should be hot by now, so gently place each strip in. Flip after a couple minutes and keep an eye on them. If you find that they’re browning too fast, turn your heat down a bit. It takes about 5-7 minutes to fully cook and have that lovely golden brown colour. Drain on the paper towels and continue until all the chicken strips are cooked. Sprinkle (while hot) with a little sea salt (not mentioned in the ingredient list).

These chicken strips will look stunning when they come out of the fryer, with the golden colour and specs of green herbs. And not to be out done… they will be absolutely delicious. With a wonderful crunch from the seasoned cracker crumbs (airy as if yo used panko crumbs), tender and very moist (fully cooked) on the inside. You’ll be a super hero to your kids after you serve up a batch of these.But be warned that they won’t want you to go back to the stuff you used to get them at Mc Donalds.

TIP: Thread each chicken strip onto a bamboo skewer before battering (cook as mentioned above) and you’ll have an attractive dish to take to your next company lunch… finger food heaven! Place on a platter lined with some leaf lettuce (gotta have a green back ground) and serve with a little of that mango honey mustard bbq sauce I showed you how to make a couple recipes ago. You’ll look like a culinary star!

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

 

 

 

Meat & Poultry

Jerk Pork Sliders

Traditionalists can be very picky when it comes to any food labelled as being ‘jerked’, as they feel any jerked meat must be done over pimento wood. Though I agree that there’s the unique taste from the smoke off the pimento wood… but when you can’t source the actual pimento wood you must rely on a bold jerk marinade to help achieve maximum flavor. These jerk pork sliders are guaranteed to excite your taste buds with the brightness of the scotch bonnet pepper and the earthy goodness of the all spice, cinnamon and nutmeg. But it doesn’t end there… take a look at the ingredient list below and you’ll see how we do it in the Caribbean to achieve the perfect jerk pork sliders.

 

You’ll Need…

1/2 scotch bonnet (seeded and chopped)
1 scallion
2 sprigs thyme
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 lb ground pork
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger

Notes: You can use a habanero pepper if you can’t source scotch bonnet peppers or your fav hot pepper (if all fails use some hot sauce for the kick). You can also use ground chicken, beef or turkey if you don’t dine with the swine.

You’ll need a food processor or blender (or chop as fine as you can), but first give the scallion, scotch bonnet pepper and the thyme a rough chop. Then add all your ingredients (except the ground pork)  into the blender and work it until you have a smooth consistency. If the stalk of the thyme is not tender, remember to remove the little leaves off the woody stalk and discard. If you blend any woody stalk it will not break down all the way and you can have a potential choking hazard.

Place the ground pork in a deep bowl and pour the marinade over it. Using your hands (or spoon) work everything until it’s well incorporated. Here’s a trick to help shape the jerk pork sliders to fit evenly on your bun. Place a sheet of cling wrap on a flat surface, then make a log with the now seasoned meat on the wrap. Try to shape it about 1/4 inch bigger (circumference)  than the size of your bun as it will shrink as it grills.  Now roll and shape as you do with the cling wrap until you have a sort of thick sausage. Seal the ends and place in the freezer to set. It may take a couple hours.

In the meantime I prepared a Caribbean salsa to top my jerk pork sliders. Basically avocado, tomato, mango, cilantro, sea salt, black pepper, red onion and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (add a little organic honey if you have as well).

After the roll is firm, slice it with a sharp knife into the thickness you want (wet your knife for easier slicing). All you have to do now is grill on a hot grill as you would normally grill burgers. Since this is pork I like grilling slow, but until it’s fully cooked all the way through.I’m sure you can cook these in a frying pan on the stove top as well.

In my haste to get my dinner on, I totally forgot to toast the buns for that extra “bang”. But all you have to do now is place one of these jerk pork patties on your toasted bun, top with that beautiful Caribbean salsa and enjoy! There’s no need for any other condiments as the salsa will have that rich creaminess from the ripe avocado and the pieces of ripe mango will explode in your mouth with every bite.

These jerk pork sliders will be an absolute hit at your next BBQ as people as drawn to sliders in general, but with the unique punch of the jerk marinade we infused the ground meat with before grilling, will have friends and family begging you for the recipe. Remember when using the scotch bonnet pepper to wear gloves, wash your hands immediately after with soap and don’t include any seeds if you’re concerned about raw heat.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Meat & Poultry

5 Spice Chicken On The Grill.

Have guys enjoyed the month of grilling? This 5 spice chicken may end up being  the last in the series (for now), so I can get back to more traditional Caribbean dishes. It’s been such fun taking the cooking outdoor, I’m now thinking up other ways to add some excitement to the recipes and cooking videos. Who knows, I may take the show on the road and you may see me on your island very soon. This five spice chicken on the grill is inspired by the huge Chinese influence in the Caribbean, especially in our everyday cuisine. 

Did you know?…

Between 1853 and 1879, 14,000 Chinese laborers were imported to the British Caribbean as part of a larger system of contract labor bound for the sugar plantations. Imported as a contract labor force from China, Chinese settled in three main locations: Jamaica, Trinidad, and British Guiana (now Guyana), initially working on the sugar plantations. Most of the Chinese laborers initially went to British Guiana; however when importation ended in 1879, and the population declined steadily, mostly due to emigration to Trinidad and Suriname. But even before that, Chinese immigration to Cuba started in 1847 when Cantonese contract workers were brought to work in the sugar fields.

 

You’ll Need…

4 lbs chicken (I used thighs)
1/2 lime, juiced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds)
1 tablespoon vinegar *
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon 5-spice powder
2 scallions chopped

Notes: I used cider vinegar as that’s what I had on hand, you can use your fav type of vinegar. I used fresh scotch bonnet pepper as I love the vibe from the freshness, but you can certainly use 1 teaspoon pepper sauce (hot sauce). If you’re wondering… 5 spice powder is completely different from ‘allspice” powder.

Wash and trim of excess skin and fat off the chicken pieces, then wash and drain dry. I used chicken thighs as I love this meaty piece of dark meat, it absorbs marinades well and the I kept some of the skin to to help keep it moist as it grills. Then chop the scotch bonnet pepper and scallion very fine and crush your garlic as smooth as you can. I used my mortar and pestle for the garlic and with the help of a pinch of salt.. I had a smooth garlic paste. Remember when working with scotch bonnet peppers to wear gloves, wash your hands with soap and don’t use the seeds if you’re concerned about raw heat. The seeds and white area surrounding the seeds is most deadly when it comes to hot peppers.

Basically all you have to do now is pour everything, including the chicken pieces into a zip lock bag (get a strong freezer bag, so you don’t have breakage or leakage). Seal and massage by moving around with your hands. Be sure to get everything mixed properly. Now try to get as much air as you can out of the bag and quickly seal it. By removing all the air, you’ll help to infuse the chicken pieces with that lovely marinade. Place the bag in the fridge for at least 3 hours.. but 5 hours would be best if you had the time.

Before you go out to fire up your grill take the bag with the marinating chicken out of the fridge so it comes back to room temperature. If you don’t have a grill/bbq, you can do this recipe in the oven. Preheat at 375F, place the chicken on a wire rack on a baking tray (so it’s not sitting in it’s own fat as it cooks)  and cook for about 40-45 minutes. You may need to turn on your broiler for the last 5 minutes for it to develop that lovely golden colour.

My grill was between 375 and 400F and I placed them with the skin side up to start. Basically all you’re doing now is grilling as you would normally grill your chicken. So flip every 4-5 minutes (be sure to look of for flare-ups when it’s skin side down) and cook for about 25-30 minutes or until you achieve the way you like. There are 3 burners on my grill, so what I did was… I turned 2 of the burners down to low and the one to the far right I had on high (similar to indirect grilling). This allowed me to keep my grill at the same temperature, while slowly cooking the 5 spice chicken slowly over the low burners.

Do allow the chicken pieces to rest for 3-5 minutes before serving so the meat relaxes back and you get that true juiciness from the 5 spice marinade. This 5 spice chicken is surely a lovely representation of the Chinese influence on our culinary culture and it’s always a hit in our home when it’s served.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

 

Meat & Poultry

Curry Chicken Lollipops On The Grill.

As our adventure on the grill continues, I thought I’d share a very creative way to do chicken lollipops. If you’re not familiar with chicken lollipops, it’s basically the way the drumette of the wing is shaped to give the appearance of our favorite kid candy, lollipops. With that in mind I decided to make a rub to marinate the chicken lollipops in, using ingredients we would normally use on a daily basis on the islands. The slight heat and smokiness from the paprika, combined with fresh herbs and the earthy goodness of good Caribbean curry powder will certainly make this a go-to dish as you spark up your grill and invite friends over.

 You’ll Need…

1 tablespoon curry powder (madras)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon rum
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder

Note: Traditionally the drum part of the chicken wings are used to make the lollipop shape, but I used actual chicken drumsticks. More meat and much cheaper than purchasing chicken wings. I used a madras blend curry powder originating from the Caribbean.. just my preference.

The very first thing we need to do is to shape the lollipops (see the video below). Grab the thin end of the drumstick  firmly, then carefully cut through the meat surrounding the bone, using a sawing motion and turning the thing around. Don’t try to force it, let the knife do the work. Once the skin is cut all around, use your knife to scrape down the meat from the bone. You may need to cut through a couple of sinews. Push the meat down to the other end. You should now have what looks like a handle with a ball of chicken meat at one end. * Be sure to look out for the tiny long bone which will be close to the main bone of the drumstick. It can prick you.. try to cut that out. In the pic below you’ll see 4 stages of me doing the lollipop thing. BTW, I removed the skin first.

With all my drumsticks now shaped into chicken lollipops, I washed it with lime juice (you can use lemon juice or vinegar as well) and rinse with cool water. Drain and set aside for marinating.

It’s now time to make the marinade… combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and give it a good whisk.

Pour the marinade over the trimmed and shaped chicken pieces and give it a good mix (get your hands in there). Now cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour (try not to go beyond 3 hrs). Then bring back to room temperature while your grill heats up.

The next step is pretty straight forward, as you’ll just grill as you normally grill chicken. My grill was about 375 degrees and I pretty much cooked them for about 25-30 minutes. Rotating them every 4-5 minutes and basting with the leftover marinade in the bowl I marinated them in.

As they cook and the heat of the grill intensifies, you’ll start getting that lovely aroma of the marinade… especially the curry powder! Do keep an eye on them so they don’t overcook and dry out. But be sure to get some grill marks on them to really intensify the rich flavors we infused them with.

There’s no need for any BBQ sauce on these or you’ll destroy all the work you did to create that lovely exotic flavor from the curry powder, spices and herbs. However, the tamarind bbq sauce I shared with you a couple weeks back would make for an excellent dipping sauce for these chicken lollipops. Here’s a video on how simple it is to make that lovely tamarind bbq sauce…

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Here’s the complete video from preparation to the completed curry chicken lollipops for you to follow along…