New ‘Cooking Safari With Mickey’ Cookbook Debuts This Spring at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

It was so much fun to work with the chefs at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge to put together “A Cooking Safari With Mickey,” a collection of recipes showcasing the flavorful cuisine of South Africa and India.

We know that our guests are well traveled and love exploring new tastes, and sharing these recipes is a treat. Here’s a sneak peek of the cookbook, with one of our favorite recipes from Sanaa in Kidani Village at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. We like it a little spicy, so add more jalapeños and chili powder. And cardamom pods can be found in Indian grocery stores – -some stores call them seeds, rather than pods. (Each pod is about the size of a dried cranberry and contains 17 to 20 tiny seeds.)

Spicy Durban-Style Chicken
Serves 4

Dry Masala

• 1 whole star anise
• 1/2 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Madras curry powder
• 2 teaspoons turmeric powder

Chicken and Curry Sauce

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Course salt, freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 3 cups canned crushed tomatoes with juice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup minced cilantro
• Basmati rice, for serving

For dry masala:

1. Toast star anise, cumin seeds, bay leaves, and cardamom pods in a heavy, dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring until spices begin to brown and are fragrant. Remove from heat and cool.
2. Grind spices in a blender or coffee grinder into a fine powder.
3. Combine spice mixture with cinnamon, chili powder, ancho chili powder, Madras curry powder, and turmeric powder. Toast in heavy, dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until fragrant. Remove from skillet and set aside to cool.

For chicken and curry sauce:

1. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Trim fat from chicken and cut into 1-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper. Place chicken in skillet and brown for 8 to 10 minutes, turning to evenly cook. Remove from skillet and set aside.
2. Add onions and jalapeños to skillet and cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add ginger and garlic, stirring to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Mix in dry masala mixture with a rubber spatula and cook for 1 minute.
3. Stir in tomatoes and increase heat to high for 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Return chicken to skillet, add water, and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until sauce slightly thickens. Stir in cilantro. Serve immediately over basmati rice.