Poulet Mafé

I saw this recipe come up and decided to give it a try.  It comes from the Senegal region of West Africa, I learned.  I didn't buy scotch bonnet peppers at the grocery store as they came in a pack of 8 for $5!  I knew I'd only use one so decided to use my scotch bonnet hot sauce instead.  In the video, he uses one whole pepper to simmer in the stew at the end.  I also only had sweetened (Kraft) peanut butter but hopefully could balance that out with extra hot sauce???  I bought a pack of thighs that was well over 2 lbs as well but I used it all anyway.  I marinated my chicken overnight.  In the video he kept the chicken skin on and so did I.  

• 3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped (I used 6)
• 1 tablespoon peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
• Pinch of kosher salt, plus more to taste 
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1 pound bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
• 1 pound chicken drumsticks, skin removed (I didn't use)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used avocado oil)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 can tomato paste
• ¼ cup fish sauce (such as Red Boat which is what I used) 
• 7 cups water
• 1 cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter, well stirred
• 8 ounces green cabbage, cored and cut into 2-inch wedges
• 3 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch-long pieces
• 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 ½ -inch pieces
• 1 medium-size sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 ½ -inch pieces
• Sliced fresh Scotch bonnet chiles, to taste (optional)
• Cooked white rice, for serving (I used brown basmati)

Stir together garlic, ginger, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken; press garlic mixture into chicken pieces. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 12 hours.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high until oil shimmers. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until onion starts to become translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and fish sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, until combined and tomato paste caramelizes and turns a few shades darker, 6 to 8 minutes. 

Add 7 cups water, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of Dutch oven. Add chicken and any remaining garlic mixture in bowl to Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-low for 20 - 25 minutes until oil is floating on top.

Place peanut butter in a medium-size heatproof bowl; stir in 1 1/2 cups liquid from Dutch oven, 1/4 cup at a time, until peanut butter is thinned out and mixture is creamy. Add to mixture in Dutch oven; bring to a vigorous simmer over medium-low. Simmer, undisturbed, 20 minutes.

Stir cabbage and carrots into mixture in Dutch oven; return to a vigorous simmer over medium-low. Simmer, undisturbed, 10 minutes.

Stir potato and sweet potato pieces into mixture in Dutch oven; return to a vigorous simmer over medium-low. Simmer, undisturbed, until chicken and vegetables are tender and oil has separated from thickened sauce, 30 to 35 minutes. 

Remove from heat; stir in Scotch bonnet chiles, if using, and season with salt to taste. Serve over rice.

Yum, this came out wonderfully.  The chicken was fall off the bone, melt in your mouth tender.  There was a delectable umami flavor to this dish.  If anything negative, the sweet potatoes were a little firmer than I wanted but everything else was cooked to perfection.  I used a LOT of hot sauce and the vinegar brought another nice note of brightness.  I wonder if it will even taste better tomorrow??