Ingredients
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18 large fresh or dried figs
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Olive Oil
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The Filling
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1 medium onionchopped finely
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Olive Oilfor frying
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1 whole chicken breastcut into 1/4 inch cubes
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
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1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
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pinch ground cloves
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Salt
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The Sauce
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100 grams tamarind paste(3 1/2 oz) can be purchased in health food store or Middle eastern store
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4 tablespoons Brown Sugarand juice of half a lemon can be used instead of tamarind paste
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2 fresh or dried figs
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1 litre ice water
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2 1/2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
Directions
The Filling
- Fry the onion in a small amount of olive oil.
- Add the cubed chicken and spices.
- Stir until the chicken turns white.
- Adjust seasonings.
- Remove from heat.
- Cool.
- * For a vegetarian version, substitute mushrooms for the chicken. Chef Basson recommends a combination of button and oyster mushrooms.
The Sauce
- Dilute the tamarind paste in a saucepan with a little hot water.
- Chop the figs and add them.
- Add the water, cinnamon and brown sugar.
- Bring to a boil.
- Cook until reduced and all flavors have melded.
- Remove from heat.
- * Tamarind comes from the Hebrew: ~tamar hindi~, meaning Indian fig.
Assembly & Cooking
- If using fresh figs, open the tops and hollow them out with a little spoon, taking care not to rip the edges or bottom.
- If using dried figs, simply massage the fig with your fingers to soften and cut a little slit at one end (no need to remove anything).
- Fill with stuffing mixture and close the slit over the stuffing so it doesn’t show.
- Fresh figs: Add to the pot only for the last 10 minutes of cooking the sauce.
- Dried figs: cook for 15-20 minutes, taking care not to let the sauce burn or dry out.
- Sauce should be thick like syrup.
- You can take out the figs and reduce the sauce to the desired consistency before serving.
- Add sugar if the sauce is to tart for you.
