Steamed Chicken Carribean

1 x 1.75 kg/4 lb oven-ready chicken, giblets removed
salt
freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon polyunsaturated vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled
15 g/1/2 oz fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
2 chillies, &seeded and finely chopped
3 tomatoes, skinned, descedcd and chopped
750 g/11/2 lb sweet potato, peeled and cubed
750 g/11/2 lb pumpkin, peeled and cubed
2 plantains, roughly sliced
600 ml/1 pint chicken stock
1 cinnamon stick
Garnish:
lemon slices
Hat-leaf parsley sprigs

Season the chicken with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan. Fry the chicken over high heat to brown on all sides. Remove and put to one side. Fry the onion, garlic, ginger, chilli and tomato until cooked but not brown. Stir in the sweet potato, pumpkin and plantain. Season well with salt and pepper. Spoon the vegetables and spices into a steamer. Place the chicken on top. Bring the stock to the boil and stir in the cinnamon stick. Cover the chicken mixture with a tight-fitting lid and steam over the boiling stock for 11/2 hours. Check the liquid level frequently and add more boiling stock if necessary. Remove the cinnamon stick. Transfer the chicken to a hot serving plate and keep warm. Blend the vegetables and the stock in a blender or food processor. Spoon over the chicken. Garnish with slices of lemon and parsley sprigs. Serve at once while piping hot. SERVES 4