Indulge in the comforting flavours of this traditional curried chicken stew with samp and beans. This hearty dish brings together tender chicken pieces simmered in a fragrant curry sauce.
Paired with creamy samp and beans, this dish gives you the textures and tastes that embody the essence of South African home cooking. Perfect for a cosy family dinner, this stew is not only flavourful but also steeped in tradition, making it a must-try for anyone seeking a taste of authentic comfort food.
Traditional curried chicken stew with samp and beans
Ingredients
CHICKEN STEW
- 6 free-range chicken portions, skin on
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- olive oil, to fry
- 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 green/red bell pepper, chopped
- 30ml (2 tbsp) tomato paste
- 5ml (1 tsp) medium curry powder
- 1 x 400g tin tomatoes
- 1L (4 cups) chicken stock
- 5ml (1 tsp) sugar
SAMP AND BEANS
- 500g samp-and-bean mix, soaked overnight and rinsed
- 2L (8 cups) water
- 125g brown/white onion soup powder
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- chopped fresh parsley, to serve
Instructions
For the chicken stew, season the chicken pieces to taste. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the chicken pieces until golden (they don’t need to be cooked through). Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
In the same pot, add a little more olive oil, and sauté the onion, garlic and the chopped green/red bell pepper until soft. Add the tomato paste and curry powder, and cook until fragrant, 2 – 3 minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, chicken stock and browned chicken pieces, then cover and allow to simmer, 20 – 25 minutes. Add the sugar and season to taste.
To make the samp and beans, place the soaked and rinsed samp-and-bean mixture in a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil and cook, 45 minutes – 1 hour or until almost soft. It shouldn’t dry out – the water inside the pot should be just visible between the samp and beans. Gently stir in the onion soup powder until well combined. Continue to simmer uncovered, another 5 – 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated and you have a thick, hearty mixture.
Remove from heat and set aside to rest, 5 minutes, then season to taste and sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve alongside the chicken stew.
ALSO SEE: Chicken Stew with Naan
Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine. www.imkawebb.com
