Mama Traore's Tigadegena (Chicken with rice and peanut sauce)

When I was in Bamako, Mali for three months I ate at Mama Traore's rice-and-sauce shack every day for lunch. I always had tigadegena (except once when she ran out). This recipe is a recreation of hers, based on one from The Congo Cookbook.

What you need:
a chicken, cut up
half a jar of organic or natural peanut butter (about a cup)
one or two onions, chopped (I slice, and then make 1 inch pieces)
some garlic (1-5 cloves, depending on how well you like it!)
peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
a large can (24 oz) of crushed tomatoes
a cup of water
1 tsp cayenne pepper
salt/pepper

In a large fry pan, brown the chicken in the oil, until almost done (20-30 min). Remove and keep warm.

Deglaze pan with water. Saute the onion and garlic. Add tomatoes and peanut butter and cook very gently or peanut butter will scorch. Once everything is nice and mixed up, return chicken to pot. Add cayenne and salt and pepper and simmer until chicken is done (10-15 min). Add water as needed to keep sauce from thickening too much.

Serve with rice or, my favorite, couscous (two cups dry couscous is a good match for the amount of sauce). Serves 4-5 and makes great leftovers.