For the love of fufu

FLAVOURS of African cuisine are all delicious and experience is the best teacher. My Ghanaian friend loves to have her fufu with peanut butter chicken stew and cayenne pepper. We found this recipe on www.epicurious.com. lf you are allergic to peanuts, you can cook without the peanut oil and peanut butter.

Ingredients: (serves 6)

One chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces (marinated overnight in one chopped chilli, chicken spice and rubbing oil);

One teaspoon salt;

One can whole tomatoes in juice;

Quarter cup of water;

Two tablespoons tomato paste;

Quarter cup peanut oil;

One medium onion, chopped;

Four garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with one teaspoon salt;

Quarter teaspoon cayenne pepper;

Half-a-cup of smooth peanut butter at room temperature;

One-and-quarter cups chicken stock;

100g of sweet potato;

One packet small okra, washed.

Method

Arrange chicken pieces in one layer on a tray, then sprinkle with salt and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

While chicken stands, pulse tomatoes with their juice in a food processor until finely chopped.

Stir water into tomato paste in a small bowl until smooth.

Pat chicken dry.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken, without crowding, in 3 or 4 batches, turning over occasionally, until golden, about 6 minutes per batch.

Transfer with tongs to a cast iron heavy pot.

Pour off all but two tablespoons fat from skillet, then add onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until edges are golden, two to three minutes.

Add onion, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste mixture, garlic paste and cayenne to chicken in pot.

Whisk together peanut butter and one cup broth in a bowl until smooth, then add to chicken along with remaining three quarters cup broth, stirring to combine well (chicken will not be completely covered with liquid).

Bring to a boil, uncovered, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally (to prevent sticking), until chicken is very tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Peel sweet potato and cut into one-inch chunks.

Stir into stew along with okra, then simmer, covered, until potato is tender but not falling apart, 10 to 12 minutes.

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