Facts About Poulet à la Moambé
Poulet à la moambé or simply poulet moambe is a savoury chicken dish popular in Central Africa and considered the national dish of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The dish itself is made by combining chicken, spices and palm butter to create a stew-like consistency. A number of local or regional variations exist across the Congo and Central Africa; the dish is also known outside the continent.
Preparation
Poulet moambe (French for "chicken in palm butter sauce") is prepared by cooking chicken in moambe (palm butter) and spinach, then seasoned with spices like peri-peri or red pepper. It is typically served with sweet potatoes, brown onions, hard boiled eggs and a sauce made from crushed palm nuts. Moambe chicken can also be accompanied by rice or manioc (cassava) paste. The chicken can be substituted with duck or fish.
Popularity
Moambe chicken is regarded as the national dish of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire). It is also considered the national dish of Gabon where it is known as poulet nyembwe, and in Angola where it is known as muamba de galinha, although the Angolan dish is "purely Brazilian" in origin. It is a common household dish in Belgium. Angolan muamba chicken can be found in Portugal, for example at the Lisbon restaurant Shilabo's.
Zambia