On a visit to Ghana this wonderfully creamy and comforting dish is not to be missed. My preference is with chicken or lamb and it also works well
with a combination of most meats and seafood. It’s great for Sunday lunch and weekend entertaining. Called Mafe in other parts of Africa, perhaps it is our equivalent to chicken korma?

Serves 4
2kg/4 lb whole chicken, chopped into 10 pieces
salt to season
2cm/1 inch ginger, peeled
1 scotch bonnet chilli, to taste
3 guinea peppers, optional
1 chicken stock cube
handful of fresh basil
400g/14oz tin tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 onions, chopped
200g/7oz smooth peanut butter
2 carrots, chopped, optional
12 button mushrooms, optional
1 aubergine, chopped, optional

1. Place the chicken, salt, ginger, scotch bonnet, guinea pepper, stock cube and basil in a large saucepan.
2. Blend the tomatoes, garlic and onions until smooth. Pour over the chicken then cover and simmer for about 20 minutes until the chicken juices run clear.
3. Add about 1½ltr/54floz hot water, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
4. Whisk the peanut butter with a cup of hot water to form a smooth sauce and add to the soup. Partially cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. If you want a lighter sauce add a little more water and if you don’t want it too hot, remove the chilli.
6. Partially cover and simmer for about another 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the peanut oil separates. Remove the ginger and guinea peppers before serving.

Plantain works with both sweet and savoury dishes. It is cheap and packed with goodness. This pudding is quick and easy and with very few ingredients it couldn’t be simpler. It works well with fresh, dried and tinned fruits, and best of all, there’s no added sugar!

Serves 4
2 over-ripe plantains
½ tsp mixed spice
115g/4oz sultanas
½ tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tin guava halves, drained, de-seeded and quartered
2 tbsp olive oil
150g/5oz plain flour
2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 180oC/fan 160oC/350oF/gas 4.
1. Peel, slice the plantain lengthways and remove the seeds. Place in a bowl and mash with a fork. Add the mixed spice and nutmeg, sultanas, vanilla extract, guava and olive oil and gently mix. Sieve in the flour and baking powder and gently mix again.
2.  Pour into a greased loaf tin and bake in a pre-heated oven for about 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Serve warm with ice-cream or mascarpone.

It’s equally scrummy with freshly sliced mango, tinned pear halves and blueberries