Djerma – chicken stew from Niger

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 5 Roma tomatoes
• 3 small onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1.2 kg chicken thigh(s)
• n. B. Oil
• 1 tsp, heaped paprika powder
• 1 tsp, heaped thyme
• curry powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp chicken broth
• ½ bunch parsley
• 4 carrots
• ½ bunch of spring onions
• 3 tbsp peanut butter
• salt and pepper
• 1 handful of peanuts

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 15 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 45 minutes

Cut the chicken, carrots, and spring onions into pieces and chop the parsley. Place the tomatoes, onions, and garlic in a blender and chop until small pieces remain. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then fry until golden brown on all sides. Add the tomato mixture to the chicken thighs and season with the chicken stock, curry powder, paprika, and thyme, and add the bay leaves. Let everything simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Then add the carrots, spring onions, parsley, and 0.5 liters of water and simmer until the carrots are tender. Remove some of the liquid from the pot and stir in the peanut butter. Then return it to the pot and simmer for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve the stew with rice and garnish with some parsley and peanuts, if desired. The traditional chicken and peanut stew is eaten with rice and is the official national dish of the landlocked West African country of Niger. It can easily be prepared in a large pot or roasting pan using ingredients readily available in our area.