Day 178! Togo ~ Peanut Chicken with Black Eyed Peas and Spinach - Up Next, Trinidad and Tobago

In my humble opinion, there's never a bad time to throw down a heaping plate of hearty peanut stew, black eyed peas and spinach...which is exactly what I'm doing as I write this Togolese entry. My forlorn laptop is embarrassingly covered with sticky finger prints, flour, and now peanut butter - but it's all good! Deceptively easy to prepare, this stew is both healthy and tasty, as the chicken breasts are steamed, then added to a lightly sauteed combination of onions, garlic, a dash of hot pepper flakes, tomatoes and peanut butter. If you're interested in West African cooking, and want to try an easy dish, this might just be the one for you. I opted not to serve it with rice, but traditionally, it can be accompanied by white rice, couscous, plantains, or any combination of beans, leaf greens or okra.

A narrow country on Africa's west coast, Togo is bordered by Ghana, Benin and Burkina Faso. Formed as part of the slave coast from where captives were shipped abroad by European slave traders during the 17 century, Togo became a German protectorate in 1884. At the start of WWI, Togo was seized by Britain and France, divided and administered under the League of Nations Mandates. The British ruling the western part and incorporating that area into what is now Ghana. In 1960, Togo gained independence, but civil unrest, controversial elections and the assassination of the country's first president led to coups, civil rights violations and the devastating loss of innocent lives. Togo's climate is sub-Saharan and provides a good growing climate, which supports agriculture as the country's primary form of revenue. The official language is French, but Gbe is largely spoken as well. The majority of religious sects are indigenous, followed by Christian and Muslim believers. Ethnic groups include Ewe, Mina Tem, Tchamba and Kabre.

Cuisine in Togo has both indigenous and Colonial roots. For example, German beer and baguettes are regularly enjoyed. Food is mainly spicy and colorful, with maize widely eaten as pate, served with spicy sauces, meats, smoked fish, thick peanut-based or tomato stews. Aklui porridge is widely eaten for breakfast. Vegetables and starches include, okara, ademe, spinach, beans, black eyed peas, fufu (boiled, mashed yams), cassava and plantains. And of course, peanut chicken.

Onions, garlic and a little hot pepper flavors the peanut stew

The recipe called for stewed tomatoes, but I only had canned plum tomatoes, which were fine

 Boneless, skineless chicken breasts are steamed in a little water 

 Save the broth for later

 Use two forks to shred the chicken

Creamy peanut butter (ground nut) thickens and flavors much West African cooking

 Saute onions, garlic and chili pepper in olive oil, then add chicken, tomatoes and peanut butter 

 I served the stew with steamed baby spinach and black eyed peas ~ right on!

Togolese Peanut Chicken (Adapted from Food.com)

1/2 lb chicken breast , boneless, skinless
1 (14 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup onion , chopped
1 garlic clove , minced
3 tablespoons peanut butter
Hot pepper flakes to taste (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:


1. Boil 1/2" of water in pan. Add chicken, cover, and steam 12-15 minutes.
2. Drain chicken and shred it with 2 forks on a cutting board.
3. Meanwhile heat oil in frying pan. Saute onions and garlic about 6 minutes, until translucent.
4. Stir in shredded chicken, tomatoes, and peanut butter. Heat 5 minutes.
5. Serve with rice, black eyed peas and spinach.






© 2010-2011, What's Cooking in Your World? Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved

Lime Spiced Cashews

Spiced nuts are such a perfect snack for entertaining.  They  take minutes to make, they can be made a few days in advance, and they have that easy to munch quality that'll keep your guests coming back for just one more handful... and one more... and one more...  They can also be a great opportunity to bring together different flavors without appearing intimidating.  Here we combine just a tiny bit of hickory smoked flavor with the spice of various ground peppers and top it off with the fresh, sweet and sour taste of lime.  These nuts pack a shocking amount of flavor and are so much healthier than any of the prepackaged stuff. 

Ingredients

5 ounces plain, unsalted cashews

2 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon liquid smoke

1 ½ tablespoons Spice Mix

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

2 limes, cut into wedges

Spice Mix:

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cayenne

¾ teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground thyme

½ teaspoon oregano

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and spices together.

In a large sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add the cashews, ½ teaspoon liquid smoke, and 1 ½ tablespoons spice mix.  Sauté for about 3-4 minutes, until cashews turn golden brown.  Take off heat, and sprinkle another ¼ teaspoon kosher salt on the cashews.  When cashews have cooled, squeeze fresh lime juice over the spiced nuts. Remaining spice mix can be saved for another time.