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Poulet DG
Cameroon's "director general's chicken" with ripe plantain and vegetables
Poulet DG, short for "poulet directeur général", earned its name in Yaoundé in the 1980s as a dish rich enough for the boss; now it is the centrepiece at weddings and Sunday lunches across Cameroon. Chicken is browned and simmered with tomato, peppers, carrots and green beans, then fried ripe plantain is folded in at the end, so every mouthful is savoury and sweet. The mistake is stirring the plantain in too early, when it breaks up and goes mushy; add it in the last few minutes. Chef's tip: choose plantains that are yellow with lots of black spots, ripe enough to caramelise but still firm.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Rub 3 ⅛ lb chicken pieces with ¾ tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, ⅔ oz fresh ginger and 4 garlic cloves. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Heat 4 tablespoons of 3 ⅝ tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry 3 ripe plantains for 3 minutes a side until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
10 minStep 3: In a wide casserole heat the rest of 2 ⅜ tbsp vegetable oil and brown the chicken in batches for 6–8 minutes until golden all over. Set aside.
15 minStep 4: Fry 2 onions in the same pot for 5 minutes, add 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, then add 3 tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until saucy.
12 minStep 5: Return the chicken with 1 chicken stock cube, 1 scotch bonnet chilli, 1 ¼ cups water and the rest of ¾ tsp salt. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 6: Add 3 carrots and cook for 8 minutes, then add 7 oz green beans and 2 green or red peppers and cook for 6 minutes more, uncovered, until the vegetables are just tender and the sauce coats them.
14 minStep 7: Check the chicken: the thickest piece must reach 165°F, with clear juices.
Step 8: Fold in the plantain and 3 tbsp chopped parsley gently and heat for 3 minutes. Remove the chilli and serve on its own or with rice.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 610 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does poulet DG take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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