Tender chicken, potatoes that soak up the spiced sauce and yardlong beans with a little bite: served with soft roti to scoop everything up, this is a complete meal. Letting the masala sizzle in oil first gives the stew a rich, warming flavour.
Roti with chicken masala is a familiar dish from Surinamese-Hindustani cuisine. The combination on the plate is simple and well thought out: spiced chicken and potatoes make a rich stew, yardlong beans add a firm, green bite, and soft roti serves as both bread and cutlery. The sauce shouldn’t be watery; as the potatoes simmer, they absorb flavour and help thicken the gravy. That way, the roti can soak up the sauce without going limp straight away.
Surinamese masala is a spice blend whose ingredients vary from brand to brand and household to household. Preferably use a Surinamese variety, and taste before adding extra salt or other spices. Briefly frying the masala in warm oil releases its aromas. Keep the heat moderate: ground spices can burn quickly and then taste bitter. Onion and garlic provide a savoury base; after browning the chicken, a splash of water loosens the spiced bits stuck to the pan.
Chicken on the bone adds extra flavour to the sauce but takes a little longer to stew; boneless chicken thighs cook faster and are easier to eat. Choose floury potatoes if you want a somewhat thicker sauce: some pieces will break down as they cook. Waxy potatoes hold their shape better in cubes. Yardlong beans are long and firm, with a flavour different from regular green beans. If you can’t find them, you can use green beans; cut them into pieces and allow for a slightly shorter cooking time.
Serve the roti warm, with the stew and yardlong beans alongside or on top. Tear off a piece of roti to scoop up the chicken, potatoes and sauce. Store-bought roti makes this dish practical; warm it according to the package instructions, or heat it briefly in a dry frying pan and stack the pieces under a clean tea towel to keep them soft. Leftover stew can be cooled quickly, stored covered in the refrigerator and heated through when reheating. Store the roti separately so it doesn’t soak up sauce for too long.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir the masala into the onion and garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until the spices are fragrant. Keep stirring so the masala doesn’t burn.
Add the chicken and toss until all the pieces are coated in the spices. Cook for 5 minutes, turning the pieces regularly.
Add the potatoes, water and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently with the lid slightly ajar for 35–40 minutes. Stir carefully from time to time. The chicken should be cooked through and the potatoes tender; press a few pieces of potato against the side of the pan to thicken the sauce a little. Taste and add salt if needed.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan. Cook the yardlong beans for 2 minutes, add 3 tablespoons water and cover with a lid. Cook for 6–8 minutes. Remove the lid and let any excess liquid evaporate; the beans should be cooked but still have a little bite.
Warm the roti breads according to the package instructions or briefly in a dry frying pan. Serve with the chicken and potato stew and yardlong beans.
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