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| Ground Nut Stew With Sweet Potatoes & Chicken |
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| Sakarabru Bread |
Knowing the history of a "thing" is a foundation that can be essential to cooking. The Frugal Gourmet was a cooking show that came on PBS in the 80's thru 90's, the Chef Jeff Smith, was well ahead of his times, in my opinion. Mr. Smith would travel the world and bring his entire experience back to life as he cooked but what I really appreciated about him was the fact that he kept everything as it was when he had it on his trip. There was no "Americanized" version of the Thai dishes he was preparing after visiting Thailand, if the recipe called for Galangal he wouldn't use ginger (yes they are in the same family but Galangal has a much stronger taste) he kept it authentic to the region in which he had the dish first prepared for him. It happens to be what I most appreciate about Anthony Bourdain and his show no reservations. When you take into consideration why people in certain areas follow certain customs, eat the food they eat and grow the items that they grow it explains a lot.
In the last 4 years I have done quite a bit of traveling all over the world with a great deal of that travel being in Iraq. As a result of that travel I've met so many people that have shared their cuisine and culture, even their history as countrymen. The one thing that I find that everyone has in common is their absolute love for their food, customs and appreciation for why they eat what they eat and prepare it the way that it is prepared. In one place in Tikrit, Iraq, I worked with a predominantly Sri Lankan crew (about 260 young men) and when it was time for them to make their staff meal Curry of some sort was always on the menu. There were a few times when a new hire would be asked to cook the staff meal and if they started without sautéing the spice for this meal first, the food was not consumed. Doing so brings out the oils in the spice and makes for a more intense taste (it's actually something that should always be done before you use any spice.) When I asked the head chef why they wouldn't eat the "improperly prepared" curry, I was simply told time and time again, "This is how Sri Lankans cook so it has to be respected at all times!"
I have made it a point to try to learn as much about the people of a region before I even attempt to make their type cuisine out of respect to the history of the dish.
On the menu today: African Ground Nut Stew With Chicken & Sakarabru Bread (Devil's Bread)
This is a stew that I first discovered in Culinary School in San Francisco and to my surprise again when I went to Iraq. We had a few workers that made this on an almost daily basis. The hint of peanut butter is heart warming and it's lightly spicy taste makes for a marriage made in heaven.
For the African Ground Nut Stew We Will Need The Following:
Take a spoonful of peanut butter, the olive oil 1 clove of chopped garlic and 1/2 a tsp of ginger and bird pepper and mix together, marinade the chicken thighs with this mixture for 1 to 2 hours. Once done roast the chicken thighs in an oven preheated to 375 for 30 minutes and set aside to cool. Make 3 cups of African Nectar or Spicy Orange Tea. Dice the onions, garlic and ginger then sauté the onions in a large soup pot along with the herbs, allowing them to brown slightly. Add the ginger and garlic. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes and add them to the pot, now add the tea, peanut butter and 2 cups of chicken stock to the pot and cover to cook on low to medium for 60 minutes. Add the cooled and roughly pulled chicken to the pot and cook until the potatoes are tender. In a separate pan add the bird pepper to heat up and then add 1/2 of it to the soup. Salt according to taste. Roast the peanuts then roughly chop the peanuts and add them as garnish along with sliced green onions and chopped parsley.
For the rice you will need the following:
In the last 4 years I have done quite a bit of traveling all over the world with a great deal of that travel being in Iraq. As a result of that travel I've met so many people that have shared their cuisine and culture, even their history as countrymen. The one thing that I find that everyone has in common is their absolute love for their food, customs and appreciation for why they eat what they eat and prepare it the way that it is prepared. In one place in Tikrit, Iraq, I worked with a predominantly Sri Lankan crew (about 260 young men) and when it was time for them to make their staff meal Curry of some sort was always on the menu. There were a few times when a new hire would be asked to cook the staff meal and if they started without sautéing the spice for this meal first, the food was not consumed. Doing so brings out the oils in the spice and makes for a more intense taste (it's actually something that should always be done before you use any spice.) When I asked the head chef why they wouldn't eat the "improperly prepared" curry, I was simply told time and time again, "This is how Sri Lankans cook so it has to be respected at all times!"
I have made it a point to try to learn as much about the people of a region before I even attempt to make their type cuisine out of respect to the history of the dish.
On the menu today: African Ground Nut Stew With Chicken & Sakarabru Bread (Devil's Bread)
 |
| African Ground Nut Stew With Chicken & Sakarabru Bread |
This is a stew that I first discovered in Culinary School in San Francisco and to my surprise again when I went to Iraq. We had a few workers that made this on an almost daily basis. The hint of peanut butter is heart warming and it's lightly spicy taste makes for a marriage made in heaven.
For the African Ground Nut Stew We Will Need The Following:
- Chicken Thighs (8-10 thighs)
- Chicken Stock (1 box)
- Sweet Potato (3 each)
- Garlic (8 cloves)
- Ginger (3 Tbs)
- Thyme (3 stalks)
- Bay Leaf (1 ea)
- Onions (2 lg)
- Tomato (2 ea)
- Peanut Butter (1 cup)
- Olive Oil (2 Tbs)
- African Bird Pepper Spice (3 Tbs)
- African Nectar Tea Bags (5 ea)
- Rice (1 cup)
- Peanuts (1/2 cup)
- Parsley (2 Tbs)
- Green Onions (1-2 stalks)
Take a spoonful of peanut butter, the olive oil 1 clove of chopped garlic and 1/2 a tsp of ginger and bird pepper and mix together, marinade the chicken thighs with this mixture for 1 to 2 hours. Once done roast the chicken thighs in an oven preheated to 375 for 30 minutes and set aside to cool. Make 3 cups of African Nectar or Spicy Orange Tea. Dice the onions, garlic and ginger then sauté the onions in a large soup pot along with the herbs, allowing them to brown slightly. Add the ginger and garlic. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes and add them to the pot, now add the tea, peanut butter and 2 cups of chicken stock to the pot and cover to cook on low to medium for 60 minutes. Add the cooled and roughly pulled chicken to the pot and cook until the potatoes are tender. In a separate pan add the bird pepper to heat up and then add 1/2 of it to the soup. Salt according to taste. Roast the peanuts then roughly chop the peanuts and add them as garnish along with sliced green onions and chopped parsley.
For the rice you will need the following:
- Rice (2 cups)
- Chicken Stock (2 cups)
- African Nectar Tea (2 cups)
Make the rice according to the instructions on the box subbing the chicken stock & tea for the water.
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| African Bird Pepper |
For the Sakarabru Bread (Devil's Bread) we need the following:
- Paratha (1 pk)
- African Bird Pepper (2 Tbs)
- Paprika (1 tsp)
Follow the instructions on the pack and add the spices after lightly toasting the spices before serving the meal.
To plate add the rice to a bowl and pour the soup over the rice, add the bread and enjoy....
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