Bassi-Salté

Bassi-Salté

A hearty Senegalese stew combining chicken, white beans, potatoes and tomatoes simmered in a tamarind-laced broth until thick and savory.

Prep

25 min

Cook

75 min

Total

100 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •900 g (2 lb) bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin on, trimmed
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil
• •1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• •4 cloves garlic, minced
• •1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• •500 g (1 lb) ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or 1 can, 400 g)
• •30 g (¼ cup) tomato paste
• •250 g (8 oz) dried white beans, e.g. navy or cannellini, soaked overnight; or 1 can, 400 g, drained
• •500 g (1 lb) waxy potatoes, e.g. Yukon Gold, peeled and cut into 3 cm chunks
• •20 g (¼ cup) tamarind pulp, seedless block; gives the dish its characteristic tang
• •1 litre (4 cups) water or chicken stock
• •1 piece dried Scotch bonnet or habanero, optional; pierce once for mild heat, or chop for spicier
• •5 g (1 tsp) salt, adjust to taste
• •2 g (1 tsp) black pepper, freshly ground
• •30 g (¼ cup) fresh parsley, chopped, to finish

Steps

1. 1 If using dried beans, drain the soaking water, rinse, then simmer in fresh water for 30–40 minutes until just tender but not falling apart. Drain and set aside. Canned beans can be added later with the potatoes.
2. 2 Prepare the tamarind: place the pulp in a small bowl, cover with 120 ml (½ cup) hot water and let steep 10 minutes. Mash with a spoon, then strain through a fine sieve, discarding fibrous solids; you should have about 120 ml (½ cup) smooth tamarind liquid.
3. 3 Pat the chicken dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Brown the chicken on both sides, about 3 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.
4. 4 Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped onion to the same pot and cook 5–7 minutes until translucent, scraping up the browned bits from the chicken. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
5. 5 Add the chopped fresh (or canned) tomatoes and the tomato paste. Cook, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until the tomatoes break down and the mixture thickens and the oil begins to separate at the edges.
6. 6 Return the chicken to the pot. Add the cooked (or canned) beans, potato chunks, tamarind liquid, Scotch bonnet if using, and the stock or water. Stir to combine.
7. 7 Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the chicken is cooked through. Doneness cue: chicken juices run clear when pierced at the bone and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest piece reads at least 75 °C (165 °F).
8. 8 Remove the Scotch bonnet if you wish to reduce heat. Taste and adjust salt. The stew should be thick; if it looks watery, simmer uncovered for a final 5–10 minutes.
9. 9 Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve hot, traditionally with steamed white rice or crusty bread.