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Well, at sometime in your adult life you are going to have some rain, metaphorically speaking. And, if you are not careful, you might not be able to weather the storm. Although it seems as though I am speaking in clichés, these little saying are true-to-life in every sense of the word.

You see, even if you are well to do and have all the trappings of a successful person, you never know when you may “bottom-out” and have turn on your creative sense with much agility. I can say this because I have been through tough times, good times, and so-so times all in one.

During the several periods of ups and downs, I have always been able to create a lot from the little I have available.

With all that said, I never thought that things were bad back in the old days when my Aunt Estelle made curry chicken foot for dinner. In my mind it was merely a break from the same ‘ol same ‘ol, you know. However, later on I realized that that fine curry chicken foot stew was a hard time food. After all, as a child how would I know that things were difficult? No one complained.

And, on top of that, my Aunt Brownie had the shop next door which was always stocked with goods for sale to the community. In case we needed anything, credit was available for our immediate needs. Little did I know that everything we placed on credit must be paid for on the next payday.

Say that to say this, we had to buy more cheaply so that we could stretch the dollar. So instead of buying the whole chicken on credit, we got the feet instead…Yah Mon!!!

If this sounds a bit squeamish to you, I can understand. Nevertheless, when your back is against the financial wall, you have to do something positive to help your situation. In our case, we were very fortunate to have had cheap proteins available…chicken feet.

When you are ready to try this recipe, if hard times come your way or not, just remember to get your chicken feet from the butcher or grocery store where the chicken feet is ready for sale to the public. By that I mean the outer yellow skin and toenails are removed from the chicken feet.

If the chicken feet are not ready for sale, you may have to do all the preparation manually before cooking them…a chore indeed. You will have to dip the chicken feet into hot water and use a knife to remove the outer skin and then cut off the toenails…its too much work, I tell you…Yah Mon!

Anyway, try to enjoy this ‘hard time’ food, even if times are not that hard with you. You never know when it will rain. Cool?

Curry Chicken Foot

2 lb. Chicken Feet

3 oz. Jamaican Curry Powder

1 clove Garlic

2 Sprig Thyme

1 tbsp. Salt

1 tbsp. Black Pepper

1 medium Onion (chopped)

1 tbsp Jamaica Tomato Ketchup (optional)

1 oz. Cooking Oil

Method:

Wash the chicken feet in lime and water solution. Then, in a mixing bowl, add three tablespoons of curry powder to the chicken foot. Use your hand to mix in the curry powder, onions, salt, black pepper, garlic, and chicken feet together.

In the meantime, heat the cooking oil on the fire on high then add two tablespoons of curry powder to the oil. Stir the curry powder in the hot oil for a minute.

Add the feet to the pot, and then turn the heat down to medium. Stir the feet into the hot curried oil to allow the muscles in the feet to contract. Now add four ounces of water to the pot to prevent the chicken feet from burning. Continue to stir the feet for two minutes.

Add eight ounce of water to the pot, then cover the pot and let the stew cook for 30 minutes.

Add the tomato ketchup and thyme to the chicken foot stew and cover the pot again to allow the newly added seasonings to blend into the stew. Let the stew cook for another 15 minutes. Now taste the stew to see if it is to your liking…you may add more salt or black pepper, if you so desire.

Remove the pot cover and let the chicken foot evaporate until the stew is thick enough to your fancy.

You can serve this curry chicken foot stew with bread or any of your favorite starch…Yah Mon!!!

PS:

I apologize for not sending you a mailing of Foodie Jamaican last month, but life gets in the way sometimes. I did not forget about you, though. It’s just that everything is happening at the same time in my life…I am expecting a new grandson anytime soon. My youngest son just graduated from University. My oldest son is in Iraq. It has been a time of serious thinking and prayers…its life. I do hope you understand.

Yah Mon!

Uncle Zack

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YAH MON!