Ethiopian stew with chestnuts and chicken

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 400 g chicken breast fillet(s)
• 1 onion(s), finely diced
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 piece(s) ginger, approx. 8 cm, finely diced
• 2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp allspice powder
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, ground
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 0.2 g saffron
• 14 pinch(s) nutmeg, freshly grated
• 1 tsp clove powder
• ½ tsp sweet paprika powder
• 0.33 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
• 5 tsp salt
• 1 can tomatoes, chopped, approx. 400 g
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 400 ml water
• 3 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp strawberry jam or raspberry jam
• 600 g chestnuts
• 300 g Brussels sprouts
• 2 carrots
• 2 m.-sized sweet potatoes
• some olive oil
• 2 limes

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 minute; Total time approx. 1 hour 1 minute

First, let the saffron steep in a little warm water for about an hour. Score the chestnuts with a sharp knife. Holding the chestnuts with the pointed end up and the wide end down, make a cut down the middle from left to right. It’s important to cut through the skin, but not too deeply into the flesh. This cut is important so the chestnuts don’t explode during roasting. Then, roast the chestnuts in a pan without adding any oil or fat for about half an hour over medium heat, stirring regularly. When the skin curls upwards at the cut, the chestnuts are done. Remove the chestnuts from the pan and let them cool slightly before peeling them. While the chestnuts are roasting, prepare the vegetables and meat. Finely dice the onions, garlic, and ginger. Cut the carrots and sweet potatoes (or pumpkin, if you prefer) into approximately 1.5 cm thick cubes. Cut the chicken breast fillet into strips. Steam the carrots, sweet potatoes, and Brussels sprouts until tender or to your desired tenderness. Then rinse under cold running water to maintain color and set aside. Sauté the onions, garlic, and ginger in a large pot with a little olive oil until translucent and aromatic. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, fennel seeds, cumin, nutmeg, cloves, paprika, cayenne pepper, and saffron, along with the water, and heat gently, stirring, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, salt, honey, and strawberry or raspberry jam, and bring to a boil. Add the chicken strips and simmer until the chicken is tender. Add the peeled chestnuts and steamed vegetables, and simmer for another 2-5 minutes. Serve the Ethiopian stew in bowls with a squeeze of lime juice. Serve with warm ciabatta, pita bread, or rice. If you choose rice, add a little turmeric to the rice water, which will give it a nice yellow color.