Recipe#3468

Title: African

From: bwee@west.net (Christina M. Callihan) 
 Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes 
 Subject: Collection (3) African Cuisine 
 Date: 8 Nov 1998 20:30:32 -0700 
 Message-ID: <2xgQ2MMx3oLX090yn@west.net> 

JOLLOF RICE
 CHICKEN-GROUNDNUT STEW
 FUFU
 JOLLOF RICE (West Africa)
 Rice with Chicken, Beef and Ham
 To serve 6
 2 to 2 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
 1 pound lean boneless beef chuck, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
 2 teaspoons salt
 Freshly ground black pepper
 6 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
 1 cup finely chopped onions
 3 medium-sized firm ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
 1/4 cup tomato paste
 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
 1 fresh hot chili, about 3 inches long, stemmed, seeded and chopped
 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
 1 medium-sized bay leaf
 2 cups chicken or beef stock, fresh or canned
 2 cups water
 1/2 pound lean boneless smoked ham, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/4-inch dice
 1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
 Pat the pieces of chicken and beef dry with paper towels, and
 sprinkle them on all sides with the salt and a few grindings of
 pepper.  In a heavy 3- to 4-quart casserole, heat 3 tablespoons of
 the oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it.
 Brown the chicken in the hot a few pieces at a time, starting them
 skin side down and turning them from time to time with tongs.  As
 they brown, transfer the pieces to a plate.  Add 3 more tablespoons
 of oil to the casserole and brown the beef in 2 or 3 batches,
 turning the pieces frequently and regulating the heat so that they
 color richly and evenly without burning.  Add the beef to the
 chicken and set aside.
 Pour off all but a thin film of fat from the casserole and drop in
 the onions.  Stirring and scraping in the browned particles that
 cling to the bottom and sides of the pan, cook for about 5 minutes,
 or until the onions are soft and lightly colored.  Watch carefully
 for any sign of burning and regulate the heat accordingly.  Add
 the tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, chili, ginger and bay leaf.
 Raise the heat to high and, still stirring, cook for 5 minutes, or
 until most of the liquid in the pan has evaporated and the mixture
 is thick enough to hold its shape almost solidly in a spoon.
 Stir in the stock and water, and return the beef to the casserole.
 Add the ham and turn the meats about in the sauce until the pieces
 are evenly coated.  Bring to a boil again, then reduce the heat to
 low and simmer partially covered for about 30 minutes.  Add the
 chicken and the liquid that has accumulated around it, baste it
 with the sauce, and simmer for 10 minutes longer.  Then gently stir
 in the rice.  Return the mixture to a simmer, cover partially, and
 cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the beef is tender and almost
 all of the liquid in the pan has been absorbed by the rice.  Remove
 the casserole from the heat, cover tightly, and let the rice rest
 for 15 minutes before serving.
 Jollof rice is traditionally served with hot boiled cabbage or
 spinach and slices of hard-cooked eggs.
 CHICKEN-GROUNDNUT STEW (West Africa)
 Stewed Chicken with Peanut-and-Tomato Sauce
 To serve 6
 5 to 6-pound chicken, cut into 12 or more pieces
 1 tablespoon salt
 1 tablespoon ground ginger
 1/2 cup peanut oil
 1 cup finely chopped onions
 5 medium-sized firm ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped and pureed 
 1/4 cup tomato paste
 1/2 cup dried ground shrimp
 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
 1/4 teaspoon finely grated, scraped fresh ginger root
 1/2 teaspoon ground hot red pepper
 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
 6 cups boiling water
 1/4 cup coarsely crumbled dried small fish, if available
 2 whole fresh hot chiles, each about 3 inches long
 1 cup peanut butter and 1 cup cold water beaten until smooth 
 12 large fresh okra, washed and stemmed, or 12 frozen okra
 6 hard-cooked eggs
 Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. Combine the salt
 and ground ginger, and rub the mixture evenly over each piece of
 chicken.  In a heavy 5- to 6-quart casserole, heat the oil over
 moderate heat until it is very hot but not smoking. Brown the
 chicken in the hot oil, 3 or 4 pieces at a time, turning the pieces
 frequently with the tongs and regulating the heat so that they
 color richly and evenly without burning.  As they brown, transfer
 the pieces to a plate.  Discard all but about 1/4 cup of the oil
 remaining in the pan and drop in the chopped onions.  Stirring
 frequently and scraping the browned particles from the bottom of
 the pan, cook the onions for about 5 minutes, until they are soft
 and translucent.  Watch carefully for any sign of burning and reduce
 the heat if necessary.  Add the pureed tomatoes, tomato paste,
 ground shrimp (if available), garlic, ginger root, red pepper and
 white pepper.  Raise the heat to high and stir until the mixture
 comes to a boil.  Then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered
 for 5 minutes.  Stirring constantly, pour in the boiling water in
 a thin stream and add the dried fish (if available) and the whole
 chilies.  Return the chicken and any liquid accumulated around it
 to the casserole, and turn the pieces about with a spoon until they
 are evenly coated.  Cook uncovered over low heat for 15 minutes.
 Stir in the peanut-butter paste and the okra, and continue cooking
 uncovered for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender and the
 dark meat shows no resistance when pierced with the point of a
 small, sharp knife.  Add the hard-cooked eggs and simmer for 4 or
 5 minutes, or until the eggs are heated through.  Serve the stew
 at once, directly from the casserole or mounded attractively in a
 heated bowl or deep platter, accompanied by as many of the garnishes
 as you like.
 GARNISHES:
 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
 1 cup finely diced fresh pineapple
 1/2 cup coarsely chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
 Diced tomato salad
 Spiced okra
 Avocado salad with ginger
 Fried plantain cubes
 Diced ripe papaya
 Yam fufu (below)
 FUFU (West Africa)
 Yam Paste Balls
 makes about ten 1 1/2-inch balls
 1 1/2 pounds yam
 2 cups water
 2 teaspoons salt
 With a sharp knife, slice the yam crosswise into 1/2- inch-thick
 rounds and then peel each slice, cutting 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep into
 the flesh to remove all the skin. As you peel the yam, drop the
 slices into a bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration.  Combine
 the yam, water and salt in a heavy 2- to 3-quart saucepan and bring
 to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan
 tightly, and cook for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the yam is tender
 enough to be mashed with a fork.  Drain the yam slices in a large
 sieve or colander.  Then puree them through a food mill set over
 a large, heavy earthenware or metal bowl.  Using an up-and-down
 motion, pound the yam vigorously with a large pestle or the smooth
 side of a wooden kitchen mallet.  After four or five strokes, dip
 the pestle or mallet into cold water to keep the yam moist as you
 pound and to prevent it from sticking to the pestle.  Repeat for
 about 10 minutes, or until the yam forms a compact but slightly
 sticky paste.  To shape the fufu into balls, fill a mixing bowl
 with cold water and set it beside a large, flat plate.  Sprinkle
 a little water on the plate and moisten your hands lightly.  Lift
 up about 1/4 cup of yam paste and roll it between your palms and
 across the plate until it is a smooth, firm ball and its surface
 appears shiny and somewhat translucent. (Moisten your hands and
 the plate again from time to time if necessary.)
 Arrange the yam fufu balls attractively on a platter and serve at
 once, or cover them tightly with foil or plastic wrap and set them
 aside at room temperature for up to 2 hours before serving.  In
 West Africa fufu is also made from cassava, cocoyam or plantain
 and is a standard accompaniment to spicy soups, stews and sauces
 such as chicken-groundnut stew or mokoto.