Chicken Mafe Recipes

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE STEW IN PEANUT BUTTER TOMATO SAUCE: MAFE

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat oil until hot and brown chicken pieces on all sides. Remove chicken temporarily.
• In the same frying pan, add the onions and stir until soft and slightly brown. Add the tomato paste and salt, and stir well.
• Add all the prepared vegetables and fish sauce to the pot. Return the chicken to the pot and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, stir, and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Check the vegetables to avoid overcooking, removing them in a bowl as they are done.
• When all the vegetables are cooked and removed from the stew, add the peanut butter or "tigadege", 1 tablespoon at a time to make sure it is well dissolved in the broth. Add the Scotch bonnet pepper, if using and simmer until broth thickens, about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Return all the vegetables to the pot and simmer 5 minutes more. Serve over white rice.

CHICKEN MAFE

Steps:

• Finely mince 6 cloves garlic and the ginger with a pinch of salt, plenty of black pepper and crushed red-pepper flakes to taste. Season chicken all over with salt, and rub with the garlic mixture. Marinate for three hours or overnight, refrigerated.
• Finely chop the remaining 6 cloves of garlic. In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the onion, chopped garlic, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, until the onion is starting to become translucent. Stir in the fish sauce, then the tomato paste, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, until the paste and onions have combined and are a shade darker. Stir in 6 cups water, scraping up any browned bits.
• Add the chicken, bring to a boil and turn heat down to a moderate simmer. In a mixing bowl, stir a cup of the cooking liquid into the peanut butter, a splash at a time, to loosen it. Pour the peanut butter mixture into the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the cabbage and carrots, and simmer 10 minutes. Peel and cut the sweet potato and waxy potatoes into 1 1/2-inch chunks, add them and simmer 30 minutes, until the vegetables and chicken are tender and the sauce is like a very thick gravy. (The oil will be separating in the sauce.) If the chicken and vegetables are tender but the sauce is still a little loose, remove them, and let the sauce cook down. Add the chile if using. Taste, adjust seasoning with salt and serve over white rice.