SWEET PEANUT BUTTER CHICKEN

Once upon a time, my sister, Susha, cooked Peanut Butter Chicken for me. I was so elated because the meal encompasses most of the flavours and ingredients that I absolutely love. Give me rice and I will love you for life, give me chicken and I will run to Mars and back, and then topped up with delicious seasonal fruit and peanut butter and peppers and curry and and and... So there you have it, the ingredients that make up my delicious Sweet Peanut Butter Chicken! I claim it as my own because after tasting Susha’s version, I decided to personalize it and brand it as my own, however she truly inspired the whole meal. I will post pictures (when my detox is over and I can eat such) but this here is the recipe guideline!

You will need:

1.5 kg Chicken pieces (with the bone, try to avoid skin and the stringy breast meat)

1 Red Pepper (the flavour of Red Peppers combined with peanut butter flavour is amazing!)

1 Red Onion

1 Can Tomatoes or (H) healthier option is 4 whole fresh tomatoes

1 Can Peach Slices diced into small pieces or mango

Peanut Butter (plus or minus 4 tbs depending on how much you like the flavour)

Salt to taste

Pinch of Pepper

3-4 tbs Curry

1 tsp Cumin

1 tbs Paprika

1 tsb Olive oil (Note that Peanut Butter has its own oil so keep excess oil to a minimum

Cooking:

1.       a) Place the chicken in a pot at medium temperature of 3/5 of maximum heat. Add all seasoning at this stage as this allows the flavours to seep in and mature with the chicken.  Allow to steam in its own liquid. If need be, add approx 2 tsb of water to get it going. Cover with a lid.

b) Heat up Olive Oil in a pan and lightly fry onions until they begin to look clear in colour. Add tomatoes and simmer till cooked. Add peanut to the mixture and mix till dissolved. Add water to help dissolve the peanut butter- approx 1 cup.

If you can multitask, perform 1a) and 1b) simultaneously. Don’t force if you feel under pressure- there is no rush in Africa!

2.       Once all the water has evaporated from the chicken, add the onion-tomato-peanut butter mixture. Mix.

3.       Add the diced peaches and the red peppers. Mix.

4.       Taste. This is very important because before you let the chicken stew and absorb all the flavours- you need to know if you are on the right track. The salt may not match your preferences etc, so taste it and add what you feel you like more of. It could even be the peanut butter or spices! The pot is your oyster- own it!

5.       Leave to simmer for 30 minutes at low heat 2/5 of maximum heat. During this period monitor your stew to make sure that the bottom isn’t burning (if your pots are the annoying type) or to make sure there is enough water in the gravy to allow it to simmer.

6.       When the chicken is beginning to peel off the bone ever so slightly and the gravy is thick- the stew done.

Eating: Serve with roast vegetables and Malawi rice for the best taste! And do share.