← Nouns Cooking · West & East African

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken pieces on the bone
• 1 Onion, sliced
• 1½ tsp salt, or to taste
• 5 cloves Garlic
• 5 cm piece Ginger, peeled
• 2 Scotch bonnet chilli
• 1½ tbsp Pepper soup spice mix
• 1 tbsp Ground crayfish (optional)
• 1.5 l Water
• 2 green (unripe) plantains, peeled and cut into chunks (optional)
• 1 handful scent leaves or basil, torn

Method

1. Put the chicken, onion and salt in a pot over medium heat. Cover and let the chicken steam in its own juices for 10 min, shaking the pot now and then.
2. Blend the garlic, ginger and scotch bonnets with a splash of water.
3. Add the water, the blended aromatics, pepper-soup spice and crayfish (if using). Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 min until the chicken is tender and reaches 75°C (165°F).
4. If using plantain, add it after the first 10 min of simmering so it cooks through with the chicken.
5. Stir in the scent leaves or basil for the last 2 min. Taste for salt and heat and serve piping hot, on its own or with boiled yam or white rice.

Tips

• Pepper-soup spice (a blend of calabash nutmeg, alligator pepper and more) is sold in African shops; there is no real substitute, but a pinch of nutmeg and black pepper helps.
• Use goat meat or catfish for other classic versions; catfish needs only 10 min.
• Wear gloves to cut or blend scotch bonnets, keep your hands away from your eyes and wash the board, knife and blender well afterwards.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Chef Lola's Kitchen Low Carb Africa Eat Well Abi