Mozambique was colonized by the Portuguese in the mid-1500s and remained part of Portugal until 1974. Thus there are many cross-cultural culinary traditions, including tonight's main dish, Zambezia Chicken. This dish is similar to a peri peri, but replaces the traditional vinegar with coconut milk. The sauce will remain thin even when reduced, but it is a bright, lemony hot sauce that is delicious on both the chicken and the rice. The greens native to Mozambique are not found globally, so I've subbed in spinach for the spiny amaranth greens normally used to make a mock tseke.
Zambezia Chicken (Frango a Zambeziana)
3 lemons
1 teaspoon fresh, crushed garlic
1-2 serrano peppers, minced (I included the seeds for the extra spice, but feel free to omit them if you prefer less spicy)
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ~13.5 ounce can coconut milk
6 skin-on- bone-in chicken thighs
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped (optional)
Zest, then squeeze, the 3 lemons into a bag or bowl where you will marinate the chicken. Add the garlic, peppers, salt, olive oil, and coconut milk. Mix thoroughly. Add chicken thighs and toss a few times to coat. Place in fridge and marinate between 3-12 hours.
Remove chicken from marinade, pouring the latter into a small saucepan to reduce.
Grill the chicken over medium-low flame, turning to prevent over-charring, until cooked through, about 6-8 minutes per side, until internal temperature is 165° or juice runs clear when pierced.
While chicken is grilling, bring marinate to a boil over medium heat, then turn heat to low and simmer until reduced by half.
Serve the chicken over the rice, topping with the reduced marinade, then sprinkled with the parsley.
Coconut Rice
2 tablespoons peanut or olive oil
1½ cup Basmati or long-grain rice rice
1½ cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon salt
Heat the oil in a small, lidded saucepan over medium heat.
Add the rice and stir until it is coated with the oil.
Add the coconut milk and salt and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
Alternately, you can make in a rice cooker or Instant pot, but add in a ½ cup of water.
Greens (Mock Tseke)
1 tablespoon peanut or olive oil
½ large onion, chopped
1 Roma tomato, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon creamy peanut butter
10 ounces fresh, baby spinach
salt and pepper to taste
In a large sauté pan or skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5-7 minutes, until soft. Stir in the tomato and peanut butter until fully combined.
Turn heat to medium low. Add the spinach and cover with the lid, and stirring every few minutes. Depending on the size of the pan, you might need to do this in 2 or 3 batches. Cook until all spinach is fully wilted. Taste for seasoning.
FUN FACTS:
Mozambique is the only country to have all 5 vowels in its name, and if used as a Scrabble word, would earn more points than any other country's name.
While Portuguese is the official language of Mozambique, more than 40 languages are spoken in the country.
Lake Malawi, in Mozambique, is known as the Calendar Lake because of its dimensions: 365 miles long and 52 miles wide.
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