West African-Inspired Peanut Stew
By the Gracious Vegan
Groundnut stew, aka peanut stew, aka maafe, is a favorite dish in many parts of West Africa. Besides prominent use of peanuts, the stew features the popular regional base of tomatoes, onion, and chile peppers. Many recipes feature chicken, but there is so much flavor without it. Of the vegetables popular in West Africa, I’ve gone with sweet potatoes and okra in this recipe, but also popular in this cuisine are greens like collard greens as well as black-eyed peas, eggplant, and squashes such as pumpkin.
Makes about 8 cups (6 servings) (about 320 calories per serving)
Water-sauté the following ingredients in a Dutch oven or other large soup pot until soft, about 8 minutes. (What is water-sauté?)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons finely chopped ginger
Add the following ingredients to the pot, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon (or more) crushed red pepper (or use cayenne pepper)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Add the following ingredients to the pot and cook, stirring until smooth, 2-3 minutes.
3/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
Add the following ingredients. Lower the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. You may want to add more water for a soupier texture.
1 quart (4 cups) vegetable broth
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with juices (I like fire roasted tomatoes)
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into small dice, or spiralized
8 ounces okra, cut into 1″-thick pieces (I use frozen sliced okra) (option: substitute chopped collard greens, about 4 ounces)
1 teaspoon salt
Sprinkle each serving with peanuts and optional sliced chile and serve with or without rice.
1/2 cup roasted, chopped peanuts for garnish
1 fresh red chile, sliced (optional for garnish and heat)
Cooked rice or other grain, for serving (optional)
Timing: About 45 minutes
Gluten-free