Recipe: Couscous Azindessi

This is my contribution to Global Table's Cook Along for Benin.  I also made a lemon flan, which was yummy, but kind of fell flat... so I won't share that recipe unless someone really wants it..

This chicken dish, with couscous, in a delicious tomato-peanut sauce, is wonderful.  I served it with some steamed spinach with a little black cumin seeds thrown in.

Couscous Azindessi (from Benin)

3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp chicken boullion powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, fat removed
1 can stewed tomatoes, drained.
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 1/3 c chicken broth
3 Tbsp peanut oil
4 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
1 tsp salt
1 c couscous
1/2 c dry-roasted peanuts, crushed
4 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish

 
Mix the garlic, crushed bouillon cube, ground ginger, and pepper. Coat the Chicken
with this mixture. Set aside.

In a blender, combine the tomato, onion, and 1 c of the chicken broth. Blend until fairly smooth. Set aside.

In a saute pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbsp of the oil. Cook the chicken, turning with tongs until browned on all sides.

Add the tomato-onion-broth mixture. Cook, covered, until the sauce comes to a low boil, about 5 minutes. Stir in peanut butter. Reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking, covered, until the Chicken is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 325  F. Pour the couscous into a 9-13 inch baking dish. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the remaining 1 1/3 cups chicken broth, the salt, and the remaining oil to a boil. (I boiled in a jar in the microwave). Pour over the couscous. Stir once. Cover tightly with foil and bake until the couscous is tender, 12 to 15 minutes.   Remove it from the oven, and fluff it with a fork.

Stir in the peanuts. Mound the couscous in the center of a warm shallow serving platter. Surround with the chicken and top with the peanut sauce. Garnish with the chopped green onions and serve.