Ingredients
Chicken
- 1whole chicken, about 1.6 kg, jointed
- salt
- 1 tspground black pepper
Palm oil dressing
- 150 mlred palm oil
- 2onions, finely sliced
- 6garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbspgrated ginger
- 2hot chillies, chopped
- 2 tbspground crayfish
- 1stock cube
- salt
To serve
- corn fufu
- njama njama, or huckleberry greens, steamed
Equipment
- a wood fire or charcoal grill
Directions
- Set the grill about twenty centimetres above the embers. Joint the chicken into eight pieces. Season it well with salt and black pepper on all sides. Lay the pieces on the grill, skin side down to start. Turn them every five minutes so they colour without burning. Move pieces to a cooler part of the grill if they catch.
- Roast them for about forty minutes in total. The skin should be dark and blistered and the meat cooked through. Take the pieces off and let them cool enough to handle. Now shredding, which is done by hand.
- Pull the meat off the bones in strips with your fingers. Keep the pieces reasonably large rather than shredding it fine.
- Discard the bones, or keep them for stock. It solidifies at cool temperatures, so warm it gently to liquefy it. Warm it in a wide pan over a low heat. Now the base, built in the warm oil. Add the sliced onions and cook them gently for ten minutes. Keep the heat low so they soften without browning hard.
- Add the garlic, ginger and chopped chilli. Cook them for three minutes until fragrant. Stir in the ground crayfish and the crumbled stock cube. Cook it for two minutes so everything comes together. Add the shredded chicken to the pan.
- Turn it through the palm oil mixture thoroughly. Every piece should be coated and glistening orange-red. Cook it over a low heat for ten minutes. The meat will take up the oil and the flavours.
- Add a splash of water if it looks dry, though it should not be wet. Taste it and adjust the salt and chilli. Serve it hot in a wide shared bowl.
Technique
- Roast over wood or charcoal, since the smoke is a real part of the dish.
- Warm the palm oil gently, as overheating scorches it and loses the colour.
- Season the chicken plainly before roasting, since the flavour comes from the dressing.
Substitutions
- Spinach or collard greens in place of njama njama.
- Charcoal in place of a wood fire.
Variations
- Made with guinea fowl, which is traditional in some households.
- With more chilli, which is common in the grassfields.
- Served with plantain in place of corn fufu.
History
A Nso and Northwest grassfields dish of chicken roasted over wood then dressed in palm oil, served at funerals and celebrations.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kati kati?
Kati kati is a main from Cameroon: fire-grilled chicken finished in palm oil, eaten with corn fufu. A Nso and Northwest grassfields dish of chicken roasted over wood then dressed in palm oil, served at funerals and celebrations.
How long does Kati kati take to make?
Kati kati takes 30 min of preparation and 1 hour of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Kati kati?
Yes, within limits. Spinach or collard greens in place of njama njama. Charcoal in place of a wood fire.
What is the most important thing to get right in Kati kati?
Pull the meat off the bones in strips with your fingers. Keep the pieces reasonably large rather than shredding it fine.
