Nyma ye Huku (Zimbabwean Chicken Stew)

Ingredients:

900g fresh boneless chicken breasts cut into 0.5cm cubes
1.5kg ripe red tomatoes cut into 0.5cm cubes
1 bunch spring onions, cut into 0.5cm slices
2 medium onions cut into small chunks
5cm length of ginger, skinned and very finely sliced
1 red chilli, pounded to a paste
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tso chilli powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried parsley
olive oil to fry

Method:

Begin by preparing the tomato-based sauce. Cover the base of large saucepan with olive oil and place on medium heat. Once the oil is hot stir-fry the ginger for 30 seconds. Add the onions and continue to stir-fry. Add the chilli paste and enough chilli powder to redden the onions. Still stirring continuously, add the black pepper and then the salt. Sprinkle the dried parsley into the pot. Turn the heat to high and add the chopped tomatoes a little at the time (keep the mixture boiling all the while).

When all the tomatoes have been added and the sauce is boiling, turn the heat down to medium and allow it to boil gently for ten minutes. Add some more chilli powder and stir. After five minutes turn the heat down to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring and mashing the tomatoes all the while then take off the heat.

Cover the base of a frying pan with oil and heat on a high flame. One the oil is hot add the chicken and brown on all sides. Once evenly browned transfer the chicken to the tomato sauce and heat under low flame to coat the chicken. Bring just to the boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Traditionally this is served with Sadza but it works equally well with rice or couscous.