Sub Saharan Chicken

Sub Sahara sounds like a reference to a backward society but in reality simply means all countries lying to the south of the Sahara desert in Africa, and so this recipe is common in many of those countries. Peanuts are a common ingredient in this region and here it is combined with tomato to produce a very nice combination.

Ingredients

For 1	Continued...
1 tbspn oil	1 tspn tomato purée
1 chicken breast	4 tbspn smooth peanut butter
100 gm onion (prepared weight)	½ tspn cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic	¼ tspn salt
100 ml passata	freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Chop the onion.
Crush the garlic.

Cooking

Heat the oil in a wok or heavy pan.
On high heat fry the chicken for about 3 min, turning from time to time until browned on both sides, remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, for 3 min.
Add the passata and stir in the tomato purée, reduce the heat and cook, stirring regularly, for 2 min.
Return the chicken to the pan and stir in the peanut butter, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper and 200 ml of water, and stir well to combine.
Simmer this for 20 min until the chicken is fully cooked, stirring regularly and adding a little water as needed to prevent drying and to maintain a thick sauce. The chicken will be cooked when it is white throughout when cut at its thickest part.

Serving

Serve with rice.

Notes

Traditionally tomato paste would be used but that can mean different things to different people, so I use passata and tomato purée. Also, traditionally, it would be cooked in peanut oil and home made peanut butter would be used, made by crushing roasted peanuts. In Africa it may well be served, not with rice, but something made from cassava or yams which are pulped and cooked like mashed potatoes or steamed inside leaves. Rice is an easier option.

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