Ground Nut Stew
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the oil on medium heat, and sauté the onions to develop browning. Add the garlic, ginger, and spices and cook for an additional minute.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the sweet potatoes, tomatoes, stock and chile. Cover, and simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.
- Place the peanut butter in a bowl, add some of the liquid from the pot and whisk until the mixture is combined.
- Add the thinned-out peanut butter mixture to the pot and combine. Add the chickpeas and spinach to the pot and combine.
- Garnish with the chopped cilantro and peanuts and serve stew hot over cooked whole grain.
Adante Hart, MPH, RDN is a Registered Dietitian, nutrition educator, speaker, and enthusiast of all things food, culture, and health. He strives to advance food sovereignty and to increase community and individual agency over wellbeing and quality of life. Drawing from a wealth of experience working in and around food, from academia to agriculture, farming, healthcare, restaurants, and non-profits, Adante presents on topics that reside at the intersection of nutrition, accessibility, foodways, and health. As health programs manager for Rouxbe Cooking School, Adante leverages his experience in public health and nutrition to inform and optimize many of Rouxbe’s culinary wellness and health initiatives. He also leads the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Additionally, Adante serves as a Team Member of Tall Grass Food Box, a community supported agriculture business that supports and encourages the sustainability of Black famers in local food systems. (Durham, NC) @hartoflife_ (Instagram).
Variations:
• Groundnut stew can be served atop or alongside rice, couscous, millet, fonio, or other grains. Additionally, a side of fufu/pounded yam can be prepared to accompany this dish.
• Different vegetables can be used in this dish. Dense vegetables like root vegetables or winter squash should be given sufficient time to cook, while softer vegetables should be added midway through the simmering process to avoid over-cooking.
• If you do not have Scotch bonnet chiles, then substitute another fresh, hot chile. If fresh chiles are not available, then substitute a dry product like ground cayenne. As with most substitutions, expect the flavor to change accordingly.
• Consider varying the style and presentation by using different sweet potato varieties each time you make this stew.
Note: The addition of one whole Scotch bonnet will result in noticeable capsaicin heat. You can control the heat to some extent by using the chile whole for relatively less heat or cutting it into smaller pieces for relatively more heat. If you are new to using the Scotch bonnet (or habañero, a good substitute), consider using 1/4 or 1/2 of the chile.
