Huku means chicken and dovi means peanut butter in Shona, the language of Mashonaland in the north and east of Zimbabwe, where this stew is a fixture of family Sundays and visits from relatives. Groundnuts have been grown in this part of Africa for centuries, and grinding them into a paste to enrich a stew is one of the oldest moves in the Zimbabwean kitchen. The chicken is browned, softened with onion, sweet pepper and tomato, and then the peanut butter goes in and turns the pan juices into a thick, nutty, burnished sauce.

Many Zimbabwean cooks prefer a free range village bird, which has more flavor and considerably more athletic legs than a supermarket chicken, and simmer it for longer to match. Bone in thighs and drumsticks give a similar depth with far less waiting. Served with a mound of sadza or a bowl of rice, it is generous, comforting food, the kind that makes guests linger long after the checkered flag.

The chicken stew

Ingredients

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) bone in, skin on chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 green bell pepper
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon mild curry powder
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes
• 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) hot water or chicken stock
• 1/2 cup (130 g) natural smooth peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Method

1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper.
2. Heat the oil in the pot over medium high heat for 2 minutes. Add half the chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving it for 5 minutes. Turn the pieces and cook 3 minutes more, then move them to a plate. Brown the rest the same way. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat.
3. Turn the heat to medium. Add the onion and green pepper and cook, stirring and scraping up the brown bits, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, curry powder and paprika and stir for 1 minute.
4. Stir in the tomatoes and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, pressing them with the spoon.
5. Return the chicken and any juices from the plate to the pot. Pour in 2 cups (480 ml) of the hot water or stock. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, turning the pieces once halfway.
6. Whisk the peanut butter with the remaining 1/2 cup (120 ml) hot water in the bowl until smooth. Stir it into the pot, gently moving the chicken so the sauce reaches the bottom.
7. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom, as peanut sauce catches easily. Check the thickest piece of chicken with the thermometer. Taste and add salt if needed. Scatter with the cilantro or parsley if using.

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