Peanut Stew

From the Burkina Faso-ian roommate of my best friend.  I guess you could also call this “African Peanut Stew” if you wanted to be specific.  Or rather, if you google “African Peanut Stew” you will get similar recipes.   My guess is that in Africa they just call it “Peanut Stew,” though.

Ingredients
(This was made to feed 8+.  If you want less, try using 2 sweet potatoes and 1/3 cabbage)

  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • between 1/2 and 3 medium to hot peppers, minced (depending on how spicy you like it)
  • 3 big Idaho potatoes, chopped into small cubes
  • 1/2 small Acorn squash, peeled, seeded, cubed
  • 1/2 head green cabbage, chopped
  • 1/2 c. honey roasted peanuts (regular roasted peanuts are also okay)
  • 1 c. apple juice
  • 1 tin diced tomatoes (about 14 oz)
  • 1 knob ginger, grated (freeze and use a cheese grater)
  • 1/2 c. chunky peanut butter (we used the natural stuff because it’s better)

Methodology

  1. Throw the onion, garlic, and pepper into some heading peanut or vegetable oil.  Keep the heat about medium-high, and use a BIG pot.
  2. After a few minutes, add the potatoes and squash.  Mix from time to time.
  3. When the potatoes and squash are half done, add the cabbage and the peanuts.  Cover and let it cook some more, perhaps 5-10 minutes.
  4. When everything is almost done, add the tomatoes, apple juice, and ginger.  Let everything cook until done.
  5. Add the peanut butter and cook another 1-2 minutes.
  6. Serve with rice, flatbread, or fufu, if you are up to making fufu.  I am not up to it, so I used rice.  Garnish with fresh cilantro if you are the sort of person who garnishes things.  I am not.

Notes

  • Once everything is chopped, this comes together pretty quickly.  It took about an hour all together because peeling the squash took forever.  If you can peel squashes fast (or use a squash that doesn’t have ridges – butternut instead of acorn!) it could be ready to go in 30-40 minutes.
  • We served this for “Gamers’ Thanksgiving,” a little party we held for our friends.  It was well-received.  We actually had enough for the two people who had seconds, plus leftovers for two days!  Wow.
  • When making rice, 1/2 c. of dry rice per person is too much.
  • Good with Sri Racha if you have some people who like the spicy and some who don’t.