Margarita's International Recipes

Gagauzia

Manja

Stewed Chicken with Carrots


Manja


Manja is one of the most beloved dishes of Gauz cuisine, and perhaps for this reason one of the most diverse. At its core, it's a meat cooked in a sauce with a thickness somewhere between a soup and a gravy. It's often served on pasta, but also goes great with bread.

The recipe I followed left me with a dish that tasted somewhere between chicken with dumplings and chicken paprika. It's not culinary perfection, but a homey dish that worked very nicely in a rainy fall day.

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Manja

Ingredients

  • 4-5 lbs chicken pieces
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 yellow onions, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, grated
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 5 cups chicken stock
  • 2 Tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped

Directions

Pat dry and season chicken pieces with salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches as to not overcrowd the chicken, brown it on both sides. Remove and set aside.

Add onions, carrots, garlic and bay leaves to the pot and sauté for 6 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, paprika and cumin. Add flour and mix well, making sure all vegetables are coated. Cook for 2 minutes.

Gradually add the chicken broth, stirring constantly. Once the sauce is smooth and thick, return chicken to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with dill and serve.


Adapted from Inessa's grandma's recipe at Grab and Go Recipes


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