North African Chicken and Peanut Stew with South African Syrah

The other night I was in the mood for some real African cuisine and subsequently stumbled upon this recipe from African Bites. This African peanut stew with chicken is rich with a tempting combination of flavours – garlic, ginger, herbs and of course a little bit of spice.

Serve with any starchy side rice, plantains, potatoes or vegetables – and don’t forget the wine! As luck would have it, I had a bottle of delicious Syrah from South Africa to go with this morish meal.

Bellingham The Bernard Series Basket Press Syrah 2015  is officially considered as one of the Top 10 Shirazes from South Africa, according to Vivino. Bellingham is one of South Africa’s most established wine brands, with a lineage that dates to 1693, with a strong reputation for pioneering new and interesting wine styles and varieties. In 1951 the first single varietal Shiraz was bottled at Bellingham, where it remains one of the focus varieties at the estate. The estate’s innovative legacy continues under The Bernard Series label, with wines under this boutique label made to be individualistic, a little bit irreverent but ultimately fascinating in style.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup oil
  • 2- 3 pounds chicken legs or thighs
  • 1-teaspoon paprika
  • 2 fresh tomatoes
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ginger chopped
  • 3 tablespoons parsley
  • ½ cup Peanut butter or peanut paste
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Season chicken with your favourite seasoning – I used creole or just use, salt and pepper. Set aside.
  2. Blend tomatoes, ½ of the onions, garlic, parsley, and ginger. Set aside
  3. In a large pot or saucepan heat oil over medium heat, then add the chicken and brown on both sides about 5-10 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside. You may skip this step and proceed with the next.
  4. Add remaining onions, if desired, to the saucepan, stir for about 2 minutes then add tomato sauce (a mixture of blend tomatoes and spices) and paprika
  5. Pour the tomato mixture into the saucepan -bring to a boil and let it simmer stirring frequently to prevent any burns- about 5 minutes.
  6. Next, add the peanut butter, chicken and 2 cups of water or chicken stock, season with, chicken bouillon, salt and cayenne pepper. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes or more
  7. Adjust the soup thickness with water/chicken stock if necessary and let simmer to desired thickness
  8. Drip a little soup from your stirring spoon. If you are satisfied with the thickness of your soup, serve it with rice.