Gambian Benachin

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in chicken thighs
• 1/3 cup vegetable or peanut oil
• 2 large onions, roughly chopped
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2-inch piece ginger
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper
• 4 large tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 carrots, cut into batons
• 1/4 head cabbage, cut into wedges
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 chicken or vegetable stock cubes
• 3 cups parboiled long-grain rice
• Salt to taste

Before you cook

• Pat the chicken thighs dry and season all over with salt.
• Blend the garlic, ginger and scotch bonnet with a splash of water into a smooth paste.
• Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat.
2. Brown the chicken thighs on all sides, about 8 minutes total, then lift them onto a plate.
3. Add the chopped onions to the pot and cook until soft and golden, about 6 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic-ginger-pepper paste and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Add the tomato paste and stir it into the oil for 2 minutes until it darkens slightly.
6. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook, mashing them down, for 8 minutes until they break into a thick sauce.
7. Return the chicken to the pot along with the bay leaves and crumbled stock cubes.
8. Pour in 4 cups of water, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
9. Lift the chicken out again and set it aside on a plate.
10. Tuck the carrots, bell pepper and cabbage wedges into the simmering sauce and cook for 5 minutes.
11. Scoop out the vegetables and set them aside with the chicken.
12. Stir the rinsed rice into the remaining sauce in the pot, adding more water if needed so the liquid sits just above the rice.
13. Lay the chicken and vegetables back on top of the rice without stirring them in.
14. Cover tightly, reduce the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes without lifting the lid.
15. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit covered for 10 minutes before serving everything together.