African Chicken, Macau style

[HKDave]

African Chicken, Macau style

This dish remains popular in the 450 year old former Portuguese colony of Macau, on the China coast. It shows the influences of Portugal on Asian cooking, most notably by their introducing ingedients like peppers and peanuts to Asia. Macau was for centuries a place where East met West, and that is reflected in the cooking there to this day.

This recipe is supposed to be the version formerly served at Henri's Galley in Macau. Henri's still exists but the dish there has changed. A similar recipe appeared in an article on Macau in Gourmet Magazine in the '80s. If anyone still has that article, please PM me.

• A 3 -3 1/2 lb. Chicken, halved, quartered or cut into pieces.
  

Marinade for Chicken

• 1 tsp minced dried hot chile pepper
  
• 1 tsp minced garlic
  
• 2 T minced shallot
  
• 1 tsp paprika
  
• 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
  
• 2 tsp crumbled dried rosemary
  
• Salt & Pepper to taste.
  

Sauce

• 1 c minced shallot
  
• 1/2 c minced garlic
  
• 1-1/2 c minced red bell pepper (or smaller qty of hotter red peppers if desired)
  
• 1/4 c canola oil
  
• 1/2 c sweet paprika
  
• 1 c grated coconut
  
• 1/2 c natural peanut butter
  
• 1-1/2 c chicken stock
  
• 2 bay leaves
  
• 3 T canola oil
  
• 1 baking potato (or 4-5 new potatoes)
  

Mix marinade ingredients, rub into chicken and marinate covered in fridge overnight. Adding a little oil to the marinade helps the rub stick to the chicken.

Sweat shallots, garlic and peppers in oil over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are softened. Add paprika, coconut, peanut butter, bay leaf and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about ten minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Keep warm.

Heat oil medium high in a frypan and brown the chicken well with the potato cut into one inch cubes. Even better, grill the chicken, and brown potato seperately. Transfer chicken and potatoes to baking dish, spoon 2 cups of the sauce over, and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes if in pieces, a little longer if in halves. Finish with remaining sauce, and serve.

Keywords: Main Dish, Chicken, Spanish/Portugese

( RG1085 )