These Circassian chicken choux puffs have a filling of chicken and a sauce flavored with paprika, cumin, chili, garlic and thickened with ground walnuts.
1cooked chicken breastpoached or roasted chicken will do equally well as long as it is moist
250mlfew days old breadapproximately 1 cup or 3 slices with crusts removed, not mouldy
60mlchicken broth or hot water to soak the bread
140gramswalnutssmashed
2clovesgarlicsmashed or finely grated
45mlmayonnaiseapproximately 3 tablespoons
125mlyoghurtapproximately 1/2 cup
2.5mlground cuminapproximately 1/2 teaspoon
1.25mlblack pepperapproximately 1/4 teaspoon
1.25mlchili flakesapproximately 1/4 teaspoon
1.25mlpaprika
1.25mlsaltadjust to taste
Garnish
2.5mlpaprika
5mlparsley
Instructions
Finely shred or chop the chicken breast into a bowl.
Soak the bread with 60 ml chicken broth. It should not be soggy so squeeze the excess liquid from the bread and crumble over the shredded chicken.
Place the garlic cloves in the corner of a plastic bag. Place the walnuts in the opposite corner.
With a pestle, smash the garlic until it is a fine paste then smash the walnuts until medium ground.
Mix the garlic and walnut paste smash together to meld the flavors.
Empty the contents into the bowl with the chicken and bread.
Add the mayonnaise, yoghurt, cumin, black pepper and chili flakes and mix until combined.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
If the mixture seems too stiff add more mayonnaise or yoghurt to reach the desired consistency. Do not make the chicken mixture too sloppy as it will make the choux puffs wet and soggy.
Fill the choux puffs and sprinkle with paprika and chopped herbs.
If a finer texture is preferred then the mixture may be ground in a blender.