African Chicken (Galinha a Africana)

If one wanted African Chicken, the journey would take them to an unexpected place. It would not be a restaurant in Dakar or Kigali. It would not be to a home in Nairobi or Gabarone. Instead, that journey would transport the person to a small island off of a continent. The continent is Asia and that island is Macau.

The dish of African Chicken -- or, as it may appear on menus, Galinha a Africana -- embodies the essence of the cuisine of Macau. That essence is fusion. For more than 450 years, chefs and cooks on Macau have incorporated European, African and Asian ingredients, cooking methods and recipes to create the dishes that grace the tables of today.  So much so, that the cuisine of Macau has been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO as the world's first fusion food. 

The story of Macanese food, as their people, begins with the colonization of the island by Portugal in the 16th century.  Portuguese sailors and merchants came to the island as part of their voyages across the world. The Portuguese who remained on Macau began to intermarry with the Chinese, which gave rise to the Macanese people. The Macanese even had their own language, Patua, which is a form of Portuguese Creole. However, when the Portuguese returned control of Macau to China, the Macanese people began to disperse. Presently, the Macanese constitute about 10% of the population of the island at best, and, their language is deemed critically endangered, with only about 50 speakers as of 2000 (and that was 20 years ago).  

Like the people, Macanese cuisine is basically a fusion of Portuguese and Chinese cuisines, but it incorporates ingredients, cooking processes, and recipes from around the world, including Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Goa and Timor. This is where African Chicken provides a perfect example of Macau's fusion cuisine because that fusion can be found on multiple levels. For example, the dish incorporates chiles, which were brought to Macau by the Portuguese from Angola and Mozambique. It also incorporates fish sauce, that wonderful umami flavor that can be found in southeastern Asian cuisine. The fusion involves more than just ingredients, it also includes cooking processes. The chicken is first grilled until the skin becomes crispy and brown, and then the chicken is braised in its marinade. The end result is everything that is best about each African, Asian and European cuisine, namely fiery piri chiles, the smell and taste of fish sauce and the juiciness of braised chicken.

The one other fascinating aspect about this dish is that, according to some, "you never know what you are going to get" when you order African Chicken in Macau. Sometimes the chicken is grilled and served without sauce. Other times it is presented as a stew. Some versions are fiery hot because of the chiles (as was the version I prepared), others have sweeter notes brought about by the coconut. The malleable nature of this dish may be just simply another level of fusion, enabling cooks and chefs to add their own personal touches to what is truly a global dish.

Finally, this post would not be complete without a mention of the Africans who were and are still present in Macau. During the colonial period, Africans served in the galleys of ships or as servants at the houses of the rich in Macau and southeastern China. After slavery was abolished, Portugal continued to bring Africans from Angola and Mozambique to serve as soldiers in Macau. After the 1974 Portuguese revolution, many of these African soldiers returned to their countries. Some remained, as well as others who came to the island and to China to study. They remain an important part of the community on the island.

AFRICAN CHICKEN

Recipe adapted from SCMP and Omnivore's Cookbook

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 8 bone-in chicken thighs or breasts
• 3 1/2 ounces shallots, peeled
• 1 3/4 ounce garlic, peeled
• 1 ounce ginger, peeled
• 1/2 to 3/4 ounce of red bird's eye chiles
• 3 1/2 ounces red banana chiles
• 7/8 ounce fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons chile powder
• 3/4 teaspoons paprika
• 5 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 5 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 2/3 cup coconut milk

Directions:

1. Prepare the chicken. Dry the chicken with paper towels.  Sprinkle salt on both sides of the chicken and place it into a bowl.

2. Prepare the marinade. Roughly chop the shallots, garlic and ginger, placing them into a bowl for a food processor or blender. Mince the bird's eye chiles, shaking out as many seeds as possible. Roughly chop the banana chiles and cilantro. Add the chiles and cilantro to the blender or food processor. Add the peppercorns, sugar, chile powder, paprika and 10 grams of salt to the food processor or blender and process the ingredients to a coarse paste. Add the fish sauce, vinegar and lime juice. Process the ingredients to a rough puree. Stir in the coconut milk into the puree and then pour the marinade into the bowl holding the chicken. Mix well to ensure the pieces are coated with marinade and refrigerate for three to eight hours, mixing occasionally. Take the bowl from the fridge an hour before cooking the chicken. 

3. Cook the chicken. Preheat the oven broiler. Take the chicken out of the bowl and wipe off as much marinade as possible. Place the pieces skin side up in one layer on a baking tray. Grill the chicken on high until the skin is deep brown and slightly charred in spots, then turn the oven to 390 degrees Fahrenheit and continue baking for eight minutes for the breasts, 10 minutes for thighs. 

4.  Prepare the sauce. While the chicken is cooking, pour the marinade into a heatproof serving dish (such as enameled cast iron just large enough to fit the chicken pieces a little snugly in one layer. Place over a medium flame and bring to a bowl, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is a nice coating consistency. Taste the sauce and correct the seasonings, as necessary. If it is too spicy, add more sugar and/or coconut milk. 

5. Continue cooking the chicken. After baking the chicken, take the pan from the oven. Pour any chicken juices into the serving dish. Place the chicken in the dish and spoon the sauce over the pieces to lightly coat them. Place the dish in the oven and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes. 

6. Finish the dish. Place sprigs of fresh cilantro over the chicken. Serve immediately with rice or potatoes. 

ENJOY!