​Global Ramadan recipes: Chicken-Peanut Stew

Recipe from ​Mali

Ingredients
2 medium white onions, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 5cm pieces
2 Scotch bonnet chillies,
cut in half, seeds and ribs removed
One 8cm piece ginger,
peeled and sliced
2 bay leaves
6 white peppercorns
4 cups water
4 boneless, skinless chicken
thighs, each cut into 4 pieces
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts,
each cut into 4 pieces
2 cups unsalted peanuts
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 baking potatoes, peeled
and cut into 5cm cubes
4 tomatoes, cut into quarters,
or 2 cups roughly chopped
canned tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound spinach, tough stems
removed, washed
cooked yellow rice, option for serving

Preparation
Combine the onions, carrots, chillies, ginger, bay leaves, peppercorns, and water in a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the chicken thighs, and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add the chicken breasts and simmer until cooked, about 10 minutes.
While the chicken is simmering, toast the peanuts in a small dry sauté pan over medium heat until golden brown and fragrant. Let cool, then grind 1 cup of the toasted peanuts in a blender to a smooth paste. Set aside.

Using tongs, remove the chicken from the cooking liquid and set aside. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a food processor; discard the bay leaves. Puree the vegetables until smooth; set aside.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When it begins to shimmer, add the potatoes and sauté until they are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and brown them on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Stir in vegetable puree, the peanut puree, and the remaining cup of whole peanuts along with the tomatoes, chicken, and potatoes. Bring to boil, then reduce and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt. Add spinach and stir until spinach is wilted.
Serve with yellow rice.