West African Grilled Chicken in Tomato Sauce

1. In a blender, spice grinder or mini food processor, combine onion, anise seeds, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, the peppercorns, cloves, 3 bay leaves and the water. Blend until creamy, adding more water if needed.

2. Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. Add half of the onion mixture, 2 tablespoons oil and the lemon juice. Seal bag; turn to coat chicken. Marinate in the refrigerator 2 to 24 hours.

3. In large saucepan, combine stock; tomato paste; cayenne pepper; baking soda; and the remaining onion mixture, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, 1 bay leaf and 2 tablespoons oil. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, until reduced by about a third (4 1/2 cups), about 1 hour. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.

4. Oil grill rack or grill pan. Grill chicken, covered, over medium-high heat until done and grill marks form (165° for breasts; 170° for thighs), turning once halfway through grilling, 15 to 18 minutes. Tent chicken with foil; let rest 10 minutes.

5. Cut each chicken portion into three pieces and add to the sauce; heat through at least 3 minutes. Serve chicken with rice, if desired.

Make It a Bowl

At Okra African Grill, this chicken is served bowl-style, with sauteed or grilled seasoned bell peppers, as well as fried sweet plantains. To fry plantains: In a large skillet, heat oil to 325°F. Peel 2 or 3 ripe plantains and slice crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Carefully add half of the plantains to oil and fry until golden yellow in color, about 2 to 3 minutes. When they are starting to get golden brown on one side flip to the other and cook 2 to 3 minutes on the second side. With a spider or slotted spoon, remove the plantains from the pan and place them on a paper towel on a plate to catch the excess grease. Salt to taste while hot, adding a sprinkle of cayenne pepper if desired.