Smocked Chicken in Peanut Soup - Main course

Preparation time : 30 min
Cooking time : 2 hr
Location : Forested Guinea
Vegetarian : No
Difficulty : Medium
With : Meat, Poultry, Vegetables
Cost : Medium
Cooking method : Hobs / Fire

This is one of the most popular sauces in Guinea. It’s called kansiyé in sosso, mafé tiga in Fulani and all over Africa the recipe is known as MAFE. For this recipe I serve it Gouiki (Guinean Guerzé’s name for mashed plantain’s banana) also known as foufou in West Africa

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Ingredients (For 6 personnes)

  • 1 smocked chicken

  • 200 gr peanut butter

  • 1 kg beef

  • 2 large onions & 6 gloves of garlic

  • 1 bunch of chives

  • 800 g fresh peeled tomatoes (or can of whole tomatoes)

  • 1 teaspoon hot pepper powder our one large fresh chilly pod

  • Okra powder (optional)

  • 2 Bouilon cube maggi

  • Dry schrimps powder (optional)

  • Few vegetables as per season (1 quarter pumkins, kassava, sweet potatoes, eggplants etc..))

  • 1/4 black pepper and 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 dl peanut oil ( any other vegetable oil will do)

  • 1.5l water

  • For the mashed plantain

  • 6 plantain's bananas

  • water to boil the bananas

  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt

  • 1 tablespoon oil or liquid butter

  • 1 teaspoon pepper powder ( optional)

  • 1 bouillon cube

Preparation

    • Cut the meat in dice, salt, pepper .
    • Heat the oil in a stock pot.
    • Add the meat and stir regulary until cooked.
    • Wash the chives and chopp finely
    • Peel and cut the onions in thin slices.
    • Add the onions and chives once meat is brown and stirr with a wooden spoon.

  • Wash and crush tomatoes, crumble the bouillon cube in a bowl.

    Add  the chilli hot pepper (crushed or the powder as chosen).

     

    • Mix all and add in the stockpot.
    • Add 50cl of water, stilll and bring to boil.
    • Dilute the peanut butter in some warm water in a bowl and incorporate it in the tomatoes sauce while stirring with a wooden spoon.
    • Add +/- 1,5l of water and bring to boil.
    • Lower the heat and let’s simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes.
    • Stir regularly with the wooden spoon for the sauce not to stick on the stockpot.
    • Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste

  • Once you see the peanut butter oil rising on the top (its mean the it’s well cooked),

    • Add the smoked chicken pieces and all wash and previously cut and cleaned vegetables.
    • Bring to cook and simmer for another 30 minututes
    • Check the cooking of the vegetables with a fork. if cooked  then you sauce is ready.

    Be carefull that peanut butter should never boil at this stage. It has to be cooked slowly  at low heat.

  • Prepare the mashed Bananas

    This should be made half an hour before serving the meal.

    •  Peel bananas and cut them in small pieces.
    • Wash them a pot and cover with water.
    • Add the salt and the crumbled bouillon cube.
    • Bring to boil and let cook until
    • Cook until almost all water is evaporated.
    • Remove from the fire and crush bananas until obtaining of a smooth purée.
    • Cook until almost all water is absorbed
    • Remove from the fire and pound the bananas until obtaining of a smooth dough (either with a mortar, mixer or a food processor).
    • You can form large balls with the dough.

  • Serve the dough (gouiki, foutou or fufu whatever you call it) with the peanut butter sauce and smocked chicken. Yummy!

    Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

  •   All the secret of the success of this dish lies within the allotted time for the sauce to simmers. Don’t makes this recipe if you are in a hurry.
  • If you choose to make this recipe just with smocked chicken, please pay attention not to cook it  too long, else you will end with a chicken purée like your gouiki  :-)
  • .Peanut butter sauce is also delicious served with the rice.  Smocked chicken can be replaces by fresh chicken, beef or lamb.