Chicken Yassa (Marinated Lemon Chicken)
Chicken Yassa (Marinated Lemon Chicken)
INGREDIENTS:
3 large, thinly sliced onions
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 habanero pepper (left whole, it will release aroma, not heat; seeded and minced will be VERY hot)
Juice of 2 lemons
1 bulb garlic, peeled and minced (yes, the whole bulb)
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons of yellow mustard (not Dijon)
½ cup canola or peanut oil
1 chicken, skinned and cut into smaller pieces OR breast and/or thigh meat in pieces (score the meat lightly to allow penetration of marinade)
1 cup water (or enough to reach level of, but not cover, other ingredients in the pot)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Make a marinade from mixing the first 7 ingredients plus 2 tablespoons of the oil in a non-reactive bowl. Add the chicken. Cover and put in fridge overnight or for at least 2 hours. Drain chicken and grill until cooked.
2. Use a slotted spoon to drain and remove onions from the marinade. Fry until golden or caramelized in remaining oil. Add chicken, marinade (including whole habanero pepper) and water, making sure the water is no higher than the level of the chicken in the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes, until chicken is tender and juices have thickened to a golden sauce.
3. If you can’t grill the chicken, sauté the chicken after the onions have cooked (first remove the onions to avoid burning), then follow as above, returning onions to the pot.
4. Serve with steamed rice.
Provided by Ms. Oley Dibba
Super Kanja (Okra Stew)
Super Kanja (Okra Stew)
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound stewing beef or lamb, washed and cut into 1” cubes
4 quarts water
½ pound piece smoked fish
1 medium onion, peeled and cut into chunks
1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and chopped
1 habanero pepper (optional; carefully seeded if you don’t want it too hot)
1 teaspoon ground/powdered netetu (fermented African locust bean; OR substitute 1 tablespoon Vietnamese nuoc mam fish sauce)
Salt to taste
1 large or 2 small Maggi cubes (OR substitute beef bouillon cubes)
1 or 2 boxes of frozen chopped spinach
1 and ½ cups palm oil
2 bags of frozen chopped okra
8 quart cooking pot
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Put meat and water in pot, cover and bring to a boil. Add smoked fish and continue cooking, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Grind together onion, spring onion and optional habanero pepper.
2. Remove smoked fish. Stir in ground mixture, netetu or fish sauce, ½ teaspoon of salt, and Maggi or bouillon cubes. Reduce heat slightly and cook for 20 minutes.
3. Stir in spinach and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
4. Add palm oil and okra. When sauce returns to the boil, continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens and the oil rises to the top, stirring often to avoid the ingredients sticking to the bottom of the pot.
6. Return smoked fish to the pot, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve over rice, fufu, tuwo, or boiled green plantain.
Provided by Ms. Oley Dibba
Chura Gerte (Rice-Peanut Porridge)
Chura Gerte (Rice-Peanut Porridge)
INGREDIENTS:
3 quart pot
1 cup shelled raw peanuts (with red skin attached)
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
4 cups water
Sugar to taste
Yogurt and/or sour cream to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. In a food processor, grind peanuts to corn meal consistency. Add rice and grind for another minute or so. Bring water to the boil. Stir in 1 cup of the peanut-rice mixture and reduce heat to medium-or-lower heat to avoid scorching. (Keep the rest of the peanut-rice mixture for future use in a covered container.)
2. Stir continuously for 30 minutes until Chura becomes thick and creamy, with large steam bubbles slowly rising up from the bottom of the pot and “popping.”
3. Remove from heat. Serve warm with sugar, yogurt and/or sour cream on the side for everyone to add to their individual taste.
Recipe provided by Dr. Hayib Sosseh
