Bougna is a traditional New Caledonian recipe for a classic dish of chicken and mixed root vegetables pressure cooked in banana leaves. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic New Caledonian version of: Bougna.
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This traditional New Caledonian dish from the indigenous Kanak peoples combines coconut milk with various root vegetables such as taro, manioc, and yams. Occasionally elevated with chicken, pork, or seafood, the combination is wrapped in banana leaves before it is placed over hot coals in traditional earthen ovens. Here it's been adapted to cook in a pressure cooker.
Ingredients:
1.5 kg chicken cut into serving-sized pieces
1kg yam, peeled and cut into large chunks
7 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 taro corm, peeled and cut into chunks
1 spring onion, sliced int thin rings
1 tomato, quartered
Salt and freshly-ground black Pepper, to taste
Onion
1l of coconut milk
3 bananas, peeled and halved
A few banana leaves to line your pot
Method:
All the tubers/corms will have a tendency to oxidise and blacken once peeled and chopped. I would suggest having a large bowl of water to hand so you can put the pieces in this to prevent them from blackening.
Season the chicken pieces with salt and black pepper then set aside to marinate until needed.
To make your "pot-cooked" bougna, you'll need at least 1 hour and 30 minutes (30 minutes for preparation and 1 hour for cooking).
Wash and remove the stems from the banana leaves. Either pass over a flame or dip both sides in boiling water to soften the leaves then use to line the base and sides of your pressure cooker pot.
Place a large pan over medium heat. Add a little oil and use to fry the chicken pieces until nicely browned all over. Tpansfer the chicken pieces to the base of your banana feaf lined pressure cooker.
Arrange the tomato, tubers, herbs, bananas, and onion on top, and pour the coconut milk around the edges. Bring to a simmer, secure the lid on the pressure cooker and allow to cook at full pressure for 60 minutes. Allow the pressure to reduce naturally, open the lid then invert a plate on the pressure cooker.
Turn the contents out, open up the banana leave and serve.
Instead of chicken this dish can also be made with fish, other poultry and even venison.
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