Also known as sisay chew or chew gnarr, this is a classic Gambian dish of fried chicken with cabbage and carrots in a tomato-based sauce spiced with plenty of black pepper.
Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 45 minutes/Serves: 6
6 portions of chicken
2 carrots, cut into large pieces
1/2 cabbage, cut into 3 pieces
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 tbsp tomato purée
250ml (1 cup) chopped tomatoes
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp black pepper
2 Maggi cubes
oil, for frying
2 onions, finely chopped
2 habanero chillies
Method:
Pour 250ml (1 cup) oil into the base of a pot. Add the chicken pieces and fry for about 15 minutes, until nicely coloured and cooked through. Remove with tongs and set aside.
Add the onions and garlic to the oil in the pot and stir in the black pepper and tomato purée. Stir well to mix the tomato purée with the oil and cook for 2 minutes then add the bay leaves. Continue frying for 5 minutes before adding 500ml (2 cups) water.
Continue cooking for 5 minutes then add your vegetables. Add a further 250ml (1 cup) water and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and topping-up the water levels if the sauce becomes too thick. At the end of 10 minutes add more water to just cover everything, bring to a simmer then return the chicken to the pot along with the chopped tomatoes and the whole habanero chillies.
Bring to a boil and crumble in the Maggi cubes. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
