Chicken:
 Chicken with Egusi
This chicken soup is thickened with flour ground from seeds of a melon or gourd (species of cucurbitaceae) called egusi. Look for egusi (also called agusi, agushi, egushi) in African or International grocery stores. Pumpkin seeds can be substituted, as can pepitas, which are available in Latin American grocery stores. You might also try sesame seeds.
Ingredients:
• 3 Tbsp Red Palm Oil for frying chicken
• 1 chicken cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2-3 onions, chopped
• 2 cups of chicken broth or chicken stock
• 2 tomatoes (substitute canned tomatoes, tomato paste or tomato sauce)
• 1 cup egusi seeds (or substitute), roasted and ground
• several sprigs parsley, or similar
• water
• cayenne pepper or red pepper, black pepper, salt
Directions:
• Heat the oil in a skillet. Fry the chicken and onions until the chicken is well browned, but not done.
• As chicken is browning, bring chicken broth or stock to a slow boil in a large pot. Stir in tomatoes. Add egusi and stir until smooth. Allow to cook several minutes.
• Add chicken and onions to broth. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is done. Add parsley and seasonings to taste. Add water if needed, to make soup thinner as desired.
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Muamba Nsusu (Congo Chicken Soup)
This soup comes from the Kongo people of the two Congos and Angola; it has much in common with other African peanut soups and sauces.
Ingredients:
• 1 whole chicken cut up into parts
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 Tbsp Red Palm Oil
• 1 small can of tomato paste
• ½ cup peanut butter (natural or homemade, containing only peanuts and salt)
• Hot chile pepper or red or cayenne pepper, to taste
Directions:
• Fill a large pot with enough water for soup. Bring it to a boil. Add the chicken and boil it until the meat is done and a broth is obtained.
• While the chicken is boiling, gently sauté the onion in several tablespoons of palm oil until the onion is tender.
• Remove the chicken from the broth and remove meat from bones. (Save the broth and keep it at a low simmer.)
• Combine one cup of the chicken broth with the peanut butter and tomato paste and stir until smooth.
• Return the chicken meat to the broth and add the peanut butter-tomato paste mixture. Stir and continue to simmer until the soup is thickened.
• Season to taste. Serve with rice.
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MUAMBA DE GALINHA
The basic Muamba de Galinha is made from chicken, onion, red palm oil, garlic, and okra, plus a type of Angolan hot chile pepper called gindungo.
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 chicken, cut into serving-sized pieces
• juice of one lemon (optional)
• 1 cup Red Palm Oil
• 2-3 Onions, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 hot chile pepper, left whole and removed after cooking (for a mild dish), or chopped, seeds removed (for a spicy hot dish)
• 3 tomatoes peeled, and cut into quarters
• 1 squash (acorn, butternut, or similar) or sweet pumpkin; seeded, peeled, and cut into bite-sized pieces -- or -- one eggplant, peeled, cut into pieces, soaked in salted water, rinsed, ,and drained
• 1 cup of canned palm soup base, found in traditional African markets (optional)
• 1-2 dozen small, tender okra; washed, ends removed -- (the okra can be left whole or, for maximum effect, chopped into rondelles)
• salt, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
• If desired: Squeeze lemon juice over the chicken. The chicken can also be rubbed with a mixture of lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped chile pepper, and salt. Let it marinate for fifteen minutes to an hour.
• Over high heat, bring the oil to cooking temperature in a deep skillet or a dutch oven. Add the chicken and cook it on all sides until it is slightly browned, but not done.
• Add the onion, garlic, chile pepper, and tomato. Stirring occasionally, cook over medium heat for about half an hour, until the chicken is nearly done.
• Add the squash or eggplant and cook for an additional ten to fifteen minutes. Then stir in the canned palm soup base (if desired) and add the okra. Gently simmer for a few minutes -- until the okra is tender.
• Salt to taste. Serve with Rice.
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Palm Oil Chop
Ingredients:
• 3-4 Tbsp Red Palm Oil
• 2-3 pounds of chicken, cut into serving-sized or bite-sized pieces
• 1 pound of stew beef, cut into bite-sized pieces, (optional)
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger or one-half teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Vegetables
o 2-3 tomatoes, chopped
o 1 large onion, finely chopped
o chile pepper, finely chopped
o okra, sliced
o sweet green pepper (or bell pepper), chopped
• 2-3 Tbsp tomato paste
• ½ tsp thyme
• salt, cayenne pepper or red pepper, black pepper (to taste)
• hard boiled eggs – 1 per serving
Directions:
• Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven over high heat. Fry the chicken and beef in the palm oil until browned on the outside. Add ginger (or cinnamon) as the meat is frying. (It might be best to fry the meat in two or three batches; meat browns best when the pieces are fried without touching one another.) Set the meat aside after it is browned.
• Fry vegetables of your choice in the same pot, reduce heat and simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes. Stir vigorously to partially mash the vegetables.
• Add tomato paste, thyme, spices. Stir. Add enough water to make a smooth sauce while continuing to stir. Reduce heat. Simmer for an additional five to ten minutes.
• Add the chicken and meat and simmer for an additional thirty minutes to an hour or more, stirring regularly. Make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Some people prefer to remove some of the red oil as it cooked; if it is not removed it should be stirred into the sauce.
• Serve over rice with a hard boiled egg to garnish the plate.
• Additional garnish suggestions:
o sliced boiled yam or sweet potato
o breadcrumbs or croutons
o sliced tomato
o chile peppers
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