Chicken Kedjenou

Rinse the chicken thighs, pat dry and cut into large pieces. Cut the tomatoes and eggplant into large cubes, finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and leave the chili whole or make one or two shallow slits in it.

Place the chicken in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, pour in the oil and set over medium heat. Lightly brown the pieces on all sides for 5–7 minutes, without overcooking them.

Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, tomatoes, eggplant, chili, bay leaf, thyme, paprika, salt and black pepper. Stir so the vegetables evenly coat the chicken.

Cover the pot tightly with a lid. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and simmer for 45 minutes. Do not add water: the sauce forms from the juices of the chicken and vegetables.

Every 10–15 minutes, without lifting the lid, gently shake the pot in a circular motion so the dish doesn't stick to the bottom and mixes without breaking down the vegetables.

Meanwhile, rinse the rice, add water in a 1:2 ratio, bring to a boil, season with salt to taste, cover with a lid and cook over low heat for 15–18 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for another 5 minutes.

Check that the chicken is done: the meat should come away easily from the bone, and the eggplant should be soft. Remove the bay leaf, adjust the salt and black pepper if needed, and serve the kedjenou hot with rice.