Maafe: an African Chicken Peanut Stew

What a plain old day it is today. Grey with grey and some more grey. Now I'm actually someone who likes it when the temperatures drop a bit. Not for me the sweaty heat of high summer in London (and we're only talking highs of 30C plus here). My ideal summer is between 25 - 28C and this year the summer pretty much obliged all season long. A spike up here and there but, all in all, it was a pretty enjoyable and long summer. However, I fear I may have been spoilt because I now have to admit that looking out at the chilly greyness today I'm yearning for a bit of bright heat (must be an ageing thing!).

And this dish is that much needed smack of colour and heat. Maafe. I've made versions of this over the years but recently I not only made it and ate it, I also illustrated it! Zingy colours are just what we need on this grey Friday (ironically it's 'Black Friday' today and even the colour for the day is muted!). I'm out in a few minutes to go get me some chicken to cook this again and zest up the weekend. Seriously good, the peanut butter thickens the stew and adds a deliciousness nut flavour which enhances the spicy savoury stew. Yum!

Have a good warm weekend all.

MAAFE

Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients
560 g skinless chicken thighs
1 onion
2 tomatoes
4 garlic cloves
2 carrots
1 cassava root
2 sweet potatoes
75g okra
3 tbs peanut butter
100g sorrel or spinach leaves
1 chilli
1 (heaped) tbs tomato paste
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp paprika
500ml chicken stock/water
salt & pepper
coconut oil

Slice the onion and mince the garlic. Peel and dice the cassava, sweet potatoes and carrots.

Heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in a pot and fry the chicken in batches to a golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pot to a plate while you continue to cook the dish.

Add the onion to the pot. Sauté for 5 mins then add the garlic and gently cook. Add the chilli and spices. Cook for a few mins before stirring in the grated ginger and tomato paste then add the carrots into the stew followed by the tomatoes (chopped).

Return the chicken to the pot and top up with the stock or water. Cook for10 minutes.

Stir the peanut butter into the stew before adding the sweet potatoes then the cassava and leave to simmer for a further 20 mins.

Trim the okra and add to the pot along with the green leaves. Simmer for a further 15 mins.

Season and serve with rice.

Garnish with fresh coriander, chopped roasted peanuts and lime juice.