Togo: Djenkoume Chicken with Rouge Sauce & Jollof Rice
Togo is a mysterious tropical, sub-Sahara nation in West Africa. Officially known as the Togolese Republic, Togo it is one of the smallest countries in Africa. It is a thin sliver of land running north from its maritime border at the Gulf of Guinea to the landlocked country of Burkina Faso. Togo is also squeezed into a sandwich between Benin to the east and Ghana to the west.
The history of Togo is complex as the Togolese people have endured a thousand years of invasions from all directions. The country was further impacted for several centuries (16thto 18th), by being the target of the European trans-Atlantic slave trade. In fact, so many Togolese people were enslaved and taken to Brazil and The Caribbean during that era that the region surrounding Togo became known as the ‘Slave Coast’.
From a culinary perspective this means that the people of Togo were major contributors to the diaspora of African food traditions into the Brazilian and Caribbean cuisines we know today. Why? Because the enslaved Togolese carried their food practices and key ingredients with them into the ‘New World’. As such, the people and food of Togo are recognised as a global culinary influence.
Ironically, whilst the Togolese were transforming food culture on the other side of the World, back in the kitchens of Togo changes were happening as well. Togo was colonised by Germany (in the 19th century), and France (in the 20th Century). Both countries brought their culinary traditions to Togo and the subsequent blending of food practices from West Africa, Germany and France have shaped a unique and innovative 21stCentury Togolese cuisine.
Our Togo menu included
Djenkoume Chicken
served with
Rouge Sauce
&
Jollof Rice
......................................................................................
DJENKOUME CHICKEN
Ingredients:
· 10 pieces of chicken (6 legs and 6 thighs)
· 2 large tbs crushed fresh garlic
· 2 tbs freshly grated ginger
· 2 tbs sunflower oil
· ¼ tsp ground sea salt
· ½ tsp crushed black pepper
· 3 pinches cayenne pepper
Method:
1. Combine the garlic, ginger, 2 tbs sunflower oil, salt and both peppers together to create a seasoning marinade
2. Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and add the seasoning marinade
3. Toss the chicken around and rub the marinade into the chicken pieces making sure they are covered all over with the seasoning
4. Cover the chicken, refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least an hour
5. When ready to cook, heat a BBQ grill to medium/high
6. Grill the chicken on the BBQ, turning the pieces over regularly
7. Cook for approximately 30-35 minutes until chicken pieces are golden and almost blackened
This is a Q_Zine original recipe adapted from originals found at:
ROUGE SAUCE
Ingredients:
· I kg tomato – de-cored and diced
· 1 large onion, diced
· 1 tbs fresh grated ginger
· 1 tbs fresh crushed garlic
· 500 ml chicken stock
· salt and pepper to taste
· 1 tbs butter
· 1 Habanero Chilli, diced (optional)
Method:
1. Fry onions in butter on low to medium, gently cooking and stirring often with a wooden spoon for 15 minutes till tomatoes soften
2. Add the ginger, garlic, salt and pepper and if it is your preference, the habanero
3. cook on low heat for a further 5 minutes stirring often
4. Begin adding the chicken stock, small amounts at a time, stirring regularly and adding more as the liquid is absorbed
5. Continue adding stock and stirring until a smooth tomato sauce has formed. This may take 20 minutes or so
6. Adjust seasoning of salt, pepper and chilli to taste
7. This sauce is fantastic with almost any cooked meats or rice
This is a Q_Zine original recipe adapted from an original found at:
JOLLOF RICE
Ingredients
· 2 Cups of long grain Rice
· 1tbs sunflower oil
· 1 tbs butter
· 4 cups chicken stock
· ½ tsp curry powder
· 3 stems fresh thyme
· 2 fresh bay leaf
· 1 medium onion, finely diced
· 1 large red capsicum, finely diced
· 1 large tomato, diced finely
· 1 large size tomato sliced
· ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
· cloves garlic, crushed
· ¼ tsp black pepper
· ½ tsp salt
· 2 tbs tomato paste
· 1 habanero chilli, chopped (optional)
Method:
1. Melt oil and butter together in a big pot (that has a tight-fitting lid)
2. Mix onion, capsicum, tomato, cayenne, curry powder, pepper, garlic and salt together and if you are using it add the habanero
3. Fry the vegetable/spice mix in the hot oil/butter for a few minutes to release the fragrance of the spices stirring with a wooden spoon to prevent burning
4. Turn the heat down a bit, add the tomato paste and fry and stir for 30 seconds
5. Add rice and stir until all the grains are coated in the buttery spiced oil
6. Add the chicken stock, fresh thyme and bay leaf, stirring to make sure none of the rice grains stick to the bottom of the pot and all is mixed well
7. Keep stirring the pot as you bring the stock up to the pot
8. Turn the element heat down to low, give the pot another stir to make sure the rice is not sticking to the pot and all ingredients are mixed then put the lid on
9. Cook the pot on low with the lid on for 10 minutes
10. Now switch the element heat off, leave the lid on the pot and let the pot sit on the cooling element for 10 minutes
11. Leave the lid on until you are ready to serve the Jollof Rice.
This is a Q_Zine original recipe adapted from originals found at:
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