Fresh Chicken

First, you’ll want to chop up your vegetables. Don’t make them too small, as they can get lost in the stew. Thick chunks are the best way to go.

When the fire has heated up the bottom of the pot, add 2 tablespoons of oil, and chuck in the chicken. Be careful not to lean over the pot, as the oil might spit up.

Fry the chicken up a little before adding the onions, and letting it all brown a bit.

Next, add in the 2 cups of chicken stock and the bay leaves.

Salt the aubergine. This step isn’t crucial, but it will definitely add to the tastiness of the end product.

Now you will layer in the vegetables, in order of how long each one takes to cook. Potatoes will go at the bottom, then butternut, carrots, aubergine, mushrooms, and last – baby marrow.

(Optional) Add 2 cups of white wine. This will deepen the flavour and add more complex undertones to the taste.

And that’s that. This simple stew will cook over the fire for an hour, without being stirred or at all bothered. All you need to do is ensure that the fire doesn’t go out, and that it doesn’t roar around the pot either.

After an hour, you can check the chicken potjiekos, to see if the vegetables are cooked through (they certainly should be), and if you’re happy with the flavour. Some prefer to pull it off the flames at this point, while others like to cook theirs for up to 4 hours. It all depends on the texture you prefer, and how hungry the friends around the fire are.