Chicken pieces simmered in a rich peanut butter and tomato sauce with greens. A beloved Zimbabwean comfort dish.
Nutrition & Info
Allergen Warnings
Equipment Needed
Presentation Guide
Vessel: deep bowl served over sadza
Garnishes: fresh spinach leaves
Accompaniments: sadza, steamed greens
Instructions
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1
Season the chicken pieces generously with salt, pepper, and curry powder, rubbing the spices into the skin. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the chicken on all sides for about four minutes per side.
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2
Remove the browned chicken from the pot and set it aside on a plate. In the same pot, add the diced onions and sauté for four minutes until translucent and softened, then add the garlic and cook for thirty seconds until fragrant.
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3
Add the chopped tomatoes to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, for five to six minutes until they have broken down into a thick, pulpy sauce. The tomato base should be well reduced before adding the peanut butter to prevent a watery final stew.
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4
Dissolve the peanut butter in the water, stirring until completely smooth and free of lumps. Pour this mixture into the pot with the tomato and onion base, stirring continuously until everything is well combined into a uniform, creamy sauce.
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5
Return the browned chicken pieces to the pot, nestling them into the peanut sauce. Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for thirty-five to forty minutes until the chicken is completely tender.
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6
Add the chopped leafy greens on top of the stew during the last eight to ten minutes of cooking. Press them gently into the sauce, cover, and allow them to wilt and become tender while absorbing the rich peanut flavour from the simmering broth.
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7
Remove the lid and stir the wilted greens into the stew gently. The sauce should be thick and coating the chicken generously. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, then serve hot over or alongside freshly prepared sadza.
Did You Know?
Dovi is the Shona word for peanut butter and the dish is a staple across Zimbabwe.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- saucepan
- wooden spoon
- cutting board
Garnishing
fresh spinach leaves
Accompaniments
sadza, steamed greens
The Story Behind Dovi
The Story: Dovi is Zimbabwe's signature groundnut (peanut) stew, a rich, creamy sauce of pounded groundnuts cooked with chicken or beef, tomatoes, onions, and greens, served over sadza. The dish represents the central role of groundnuts in Southern African cuisine, where the legume provides essential protein and fat in a diet otherwise dominated by starchy staples. Groundnuts have been cultivated in Southern Africa for centuries, and the technique of pounding them into a paste and cooking them into stews predates European contact. The Shona word dovi simply means peanut butter, reflecting the straightforward honesty of Zimbabwean food naming.
On the Calendar: Dovi is everyday food, one of the most common relishes served with sadza at lunch and dinner. It is also a celebration dish, prepared with chicken for guests and special occasions.
Then and Now: The basic preparation has remained unchanged, though commercially produced peanut butter has simplified the process for urban cooks who once pounded groundnuts by hand. Dovi has gained international attention through the Zimbabwean diaspora and through food writers documenting African groundnut-based cooking.
Legacy: Dovi is the golden heart of Zimbabwean cooking, a stew that transforms humble peanuts into a sauce of extraordinary richness and proves that Africa's great dishes have always been hiding in plain sight.
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