Entree: Angola – Central Culinary Region – Muamba de Galinha (Angolan chicken stew braised in palm oil and palm-nut sauce, often with okra and ground peanuts)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 40 min

Total 1 hr

Ingredients

- 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces, approx. 3 lb (1.4 kg)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) palm oil (dendê)
- 14 oz (400 g) canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup (240 g) palm-nut purée or canned palm-nut concentrate
- 1 large onion, chopped, approx. 1 cup (150 g)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (approx. 12 g)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) grated fresh ginger
- 2 small bird's-eye chiles, minced (approx. 6 g) or to taste
- 1/4 cup (60 g) ground roasted peanuts or 2 tbsp (30 g) smooth peanut butter
- 1–2 cups (240–480 ml) chicken stock, as needed
- 1 cup (150 g) okra, sliced (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice
- Salt to taste
- Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish
- Cooked white rice or funge (cassava porridge) for serving (no measurement required)

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken pieces dry and season lightly with salt. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat, warm half the palm oil and brown the chicken in batches until golden on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining palm oil. Sauté the chopped onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and minced chiles and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, palm-nut purée, and ground peanuts (or peanut butter). Cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes to combine flavors.
4. Return the browned chicken to the pot, add enough chicken stock to barely cover the pieces, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and braise gently for 30–40 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.
5. Add the sliced okra during the last 10 minutes of cooking and adjust thickness with additional stock if needed. Stir in the lime juice and season with salt to taste.
6. Serve hot garnished with fresh cilantro or parsley, accompanied by steamed rice or funge.