Name: Dovi
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Zimbabwe, Southern Africa
Ingredients: 1 kg chicken pieces, skin on; 4 tbsp peanut butter, smooth, natural; 2 whole onions, chopped; 3 whole tomatoes, chopped; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 500 ml water; 200 g pumpkin leaves or spinach, chopped; 1 tsp salt

Dovi

A hearty Zimbabwean peanut butter stew with chicken and vegetables, rich and creamy with a deep nutty flavor â€” true comfort food from the heart of Zimbabwe.

Country

Zimbabwe

Region

Southern Africa

Time

70 min

Serves

Level

medium

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Dovi, meaning peanut butter in Shona, is one of Zimbabwe's most cherished dishes. Peanuts have been cultivated in the region for centuries and peanut butter stew appears in various forms across the country. The dish is hearty, affordable, and incredibly satisfying â€” the peanut butter melts into the broth to create a thick, creamy sauce that coats every piece of chicken and vegetable.

What the dish tastes like

A hearty Zimbabwean peanut butter stew with chicken and vegetables, rich and creamy with a deep nutty flavor â€” true comfort food from the heart of Zimbabwe.

When to cook it

Best for Family dinner, with a medium cooking level and about 70 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Sadza and fresh greens

Brown the chicken

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt and brown on all sides until golden. Remove and set aside.

Brown chicken 08:00

Cook onions and tomatoes

In the same pot, fry the onions until softened. Add the tomatoes and cook until they break down into a thick sauce, about 8 minutes.

Cook base 08:00

Dissolve the peanut butter

Mix the peanut butter with the water until smooth, ensuring there are no lumps. Pour this mixture into the pot with the tomato sauce and stir well.

Mixing the peanut butter with water separately first prevents clumping in the stew.

Simmer with chicken

Return the chicken to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and creamy.

Stir occasionally to prevent the peanut butter from sticking to the bottom.

Simmer stew 40:00

Add greens

If using, add the pumpkin leaves or spinach in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Stir them into the stew and cook until wilted.

Cook greens 10:00

Serve

Adjust seasoning with salt. Serve hot with sadza, scooping up the thick peanut gravy with each bite.

The stew thickens as it cools â€” add a splash of water when reheating leftovers.

Dovi

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Step-by-step instructions

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