INGREDIENTS:
For chicken:
1 chicken (about 1.5kg) cut into small serving pieces
4 onions, very finely chopped
2 vanilla pods
6 garlic cloves
1 sprig of thyme
1/2 tsp grated chopped fresh turmeric (or use dried)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Olive oil for frying
For the Vanilla Sauce:
2 vanilla pods 400ml cream
5 tbsp dark rum salt and black pepper, to taste
DIRECTION:
For the chicken:
Add the garlic to a mortar, season with salt and freshly-ground black pepper and pound to a paste. Now halve the vanilla pods lengthways and scrape the seeds into the garlic paste (reserve the pods). Pound in to combine along with the thyme.
Add a little oil to a pan or wok and use to fry the chicken pieces until well browned. Add the onions and allow to cook gently for about 3 minutes before stirring-in the garlic and vanilla mix along with the turmeric.
Increase the heat and fry briskly for 2 minutes then add 600 ml water and the reserved vanilla pods. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated and the chicken is tender (about 45 minutes).
About 20 minutes before the chicken is done halve the vanilla pods for the sauce and scrape out the seeds. Combine these with the cream and rum in a pan (add the pods as well).
When the chicken is ready, arrange on a serving dish then season the sauce with salt and black pepper and drizzle over the chicken.
Notes: Serve with rice.