Ingredients

• 1.5 kg whole free-range chicken
• 1 lime
• 2 onions
• 4 ripe tomatoes
• 250 g African garden eggs or small eggplant
• 30 g fresh ginger
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 fresh hot chilies (piment, Scotch bonnet type)
• 2 leaves bay leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp palm oil or vegetable oil
• 60 ml water
• to taste salt
• to taste ground black pepper
• 600 g attiéké or cooked white rice

Method

1. 01
   Wash the chicken Rub the chicken pieces with the cut lime, rinse them under cold water, and pat them dry.
2. 02
   Season and marinate Toss the chicken with the ginger, garlic, a good pinch of salt and some black pepper, then leave it to marinate for thirty minutes.
3. 03
   Prepare the vegetables While the chicken marinates, slice the onions, chop the tomatoes, and cut the garden eggs or eggplant into chunks.
4. 04
   Layer the pot Put the chicken in a heavy pot, then layer the onions, tomatoes, eggplant, chilies, bay leaves and thyme on top, and drizzle over the oil if using.
5. 05
   Seal the lid Cover the pot with a sheet of banana leaf or foil, press the lid down firmly over it, and set it on medium heat for five minutes until you hear it start to steam.
6. 06
   Cook and shake Turn the heat to low and let it cook for twenty minutes, lifting the pot with both hands and shaking it firmly every five minutes without opening the lid.
7. 07
   Keep braising Keep cooking on low for another twenty five minutes, still shaking the pot every five minutes.
8. 08
   Check and season Open the pot, check that the chicken is tender and the vegetables have melted into a thick sauce, taste for salt, then reseal and cook for ten more minutes.
9. 09
   Rest and serve Take the pot off the heat, leave it sealed for five minutes, then serve the chicken and sauce with attiéké or white rice.