Senegalese recipe
How to make Chicken yassa
yassa ginaar
Senegal, especially Casamance in the south; now eaten all over West Africa
Chicken marinated in lemon or lime juice, mustard and a great heap of sliced onions, grilled or fried, and then simmered with the onions until they turn soft and sweet. It is served with plain white rice. It is also made with fish (yassa jën) or lamb.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg chicken pieces (legs and thighs)
- 5 large onions, thinly sliced
- Juice of 3 lemons or 4 limes
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 whole scotch bonnet chilli or a pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 bay leaf, and salt and black pepper
- A handful of green olives (optional)
- White rice to serve
Method
- Mix the onions, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, 2 tablespoons of oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken, turn to coat, cover and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Lift the chicken out of the marinade, keeping the onions and juices. Grill or fry the chicken in a little oil until browned on all sides.
- Heat the rest of the oil in a large pot and cook the onions from the marinade over a medium heat for about 15 minutes, until soft and golden.
- Add the chicken, the rest of the marinade, the bay leaf, the chilli and a small glass of water. Cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick.
- Add the olives if using, taste for salt and serve hot with white rice.
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'Yassa' is the name of the cooking method, marinating and then stewing, and 'ginaar' is the Wolof word for chicken.
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