Recipe ingredients and directions:
CHICKEN-GROUNDNUT STEW (West Africa)
Stewed Chicken with Peanut-and-Tomato Sauce
To serve 6
5 to 6-pound chicken, cut into 12 or more pieces
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 cup peanut oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
5 medium-sized firm ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped and pureed
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup dried ground shrimp
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon finely grated, scraped fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon ground hot red pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
6 cups boiling water
1/4 cup coarsely crumbled dried small fish, if available
2 whole fresh hot chiles, each about 3 inches long
1 cup peanut butter and 1 cup cold water beaten until smooth
12 large fresh okra, washed and stemmed, or 12 frozen okra
6 hard-cooked eggs
Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. Combine the salt
and ground ginger, and rub the mixture evenly over each piece of
chicken. In a heavy 5- to 6-quart casserole, heat the oil over
moderate heat until it is very hot but not smoking. Brown the
chicken in the hot oil, 3 or 4 pieces at a time, turning the pieces
frequently with the tongs and regulating the heat so that they
color richly and evenly without burning. As they brown, transfer
the pieces to a plate. Discard all but about 1/4 cup of the oil
remaining in the pan and drop in the chopped onions. Stirring
frequently and scraping the browned particles from the bottom of
the pan, cook the onions for about 5 minutes, until they are soft
and translucent. Watch carefully for any sign of burning and reduce
the heat if necessary. Add the pureed tomatoes, tomato paste,
ground shrimp (if available), garlic, ginger root, red pepper and
white pepper. Raise the heat to high and stir until the mixture
comes to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered
for 5 minutes. Stirring constantly, pour in the boiling water in
a thin stream and add the dried fish (if available) and the whole
chilies. Return the chicken and any liquid accumulated around it
to the casserole, and turn the pieces about with a spoon until they
are evenly coated. Cook uncovered over low heat for 15 minutes.
Stir in the peanut-butter paste and the okra, and continue cooking
uncovered for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender and the
dark meat shows no resistance when pierced with the point of a
small, sharp knife. Add the hard-cooked eggs and simmer for 4 or
5 minutes, or until the eggs are heated through. Serve the stew
at once, directly from the casserole or mounded attractively in a
heated bowl or deep platter, accompanied by as many of the garnishes
as you like.
GARNISHES:
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup finely diced fresh pineapple
1/2 cup coarsely chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
Diced tomato salad
Spiced okra
Avocado salad with ginger
Fried plantain cubes
Diced ripe papaya
Yam fufu (below)
Category: African Recipes
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