← Nouns Cooking · West & East African

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg chicken pieces, bone in, cut into small portions
• 1 tsp Salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 4 cloves Garlic, divided
• 3 cm piece Ginger, divided
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1 stick Celery, chopped
• 1 handful Parsley
• 4 firm, just-ripe plantains (yellow, few black spots), peeled and cut into chunks
• vegetable oil, for frying, plus 3 tbsp
• 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 2 Carrot, sliced into rounds
• 150 g Green beans, cut into short lengths
• 2 mixed peppers, diced
• 1 Leek, sliced (or 4 spring onions)
• 1 tsp Dried thyme
• ¼ tsp Nutmeg
• 250 ml chicken stock
• 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, left whole (optional)

Method

1. Blend half the garlic and ginger with the onion, celery, parsley, salt and pepper. Rub this over the chicken.
2. Heat 1 cm of oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the plantain in batches for 3–4 min until golden, then drain. Fry the chicken in the same oil for 10–12 min, turning, until well browned. Drain.
3. In a large pot, heat 3 tbsp oil over medium heat. Grate in the remaining garlic and ginger, fry for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes, thyme and nutmeg and simmer for 8–10 min until thick.
4. Add the chicken, stock and scotch bonnet, if using. Cover and simmer for 20 min, until the chicken is tender and reaches 75°C (165°F) at the bone.
5. Add the carrots and green beans and cook for 5 min, then the peppers and leek for 3 min more: the vegetables should stay a little crisp.
6. Gently fold in the fried plantain, warm through for 2 min, taste for salt and serve.

Tips

• Plantains that are too ripe turn mushy in the pot; choose yellow ones that are still firm.
• Check stock cubes for wheat if you need it gluten-free.

Sources

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

Afrifood Network Eat Well Abi