About the Recipe
I believe I first heard of African peanut stew in The China Study by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell II. A must-read for everyone, by the way!
Before that, I had tried sweet potatoes only onceāand I really hated them. Why? They came in the form of incredibly greasy fries, which didn't appeal to me at all, even before I started eating an oil-free diet.
I'm not sure what made me decide to give sweet potatoes another chance, but after reading about this stew, I decided to try it. And I'm so glad I did.
This has since become one of our favorite recipes.
Ingredients
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, or 6 cups water plus 6 tablespoons Vegetable Bouillon Powder
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large red or white sweet potatoes or yams, cut into bite-size cubes
Ā¾ cup unsalted peanut butter, smooth or chunky, orĀ about 1Ā½ cups powdered peanut butter, such as PB2
Ā½ cup tomato paste orĀ 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 bunch collard greens, kale, or green cabbage, tough stems removed and leaves cut into 1-inch strips orĀ a few handfuls of fresh spinach
Sriracha or similar hot sauce, to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste, optional
salt, to taste, optional
Ā¼ cup roughly chopped unsalted peanuts, for garnish, optional
cooked brown rice, for serving, optional
Preparation
Cook the vegetables.Ā In a large pot, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, and sweet potatoes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are nearly tender.
Make the peanut mixture.Ā Place the peanut butter and tomato paste in a medium heat-safe bowl. Ladle in 1 to 2 cups of the hot broth and whisk until smooth and creamy. Pour the mixture back into the pot and stir well to combine. Alternatively, blend the peanut butter, tomato paste, and hot broth in a blender until smooth, then return the mixture to the pot.
If using powdered peanut butter:Ā Whisk the powdered peanut butter and tomato paste with 1 to 2 cups of the hot broth until smooth, then stir the mixture back into the pot. Add more powdered peanut butter if you'd like a stronger peanut flavor or thicker consistency.
Add the greens.Ā If using collard greens, kale, or cabbage, stir them into the stew and add Sriracha or another hot sauce to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens and sweet potatoes are tender and the stew has thickened slightly.
If using spinach, wait until the stew has finished cooking. Stir in a few handfuls and let the spinach wilt in the hot stew for 1 to 2 minutes.
Finish and serve.Ā Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, if using. Taste and add salt and additional Sriracha as needed. Serve on its own or over cooked brown rice and garnish with chopped peanuts, if desired.
Tips
Adjust the consistency.Ā The stew will thicken as it cooks and may thicken further as it sits. If it becomes thicker than you like, simply stir in a little vegetable broth or water until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Taste before adding salt.Ā The amount of sodium in vegetable broth and bouillon varies considerably, so wait until the stew is finished before deciding whether it needs any additional salt.
Leftovers may taste a little sweeter.Ā The flavors continue to develop as the stew sits, and you may notice more sweetness the next day. When reheating or serving leftovers, taste the stew and add a little extra Sriracha if desired. The additional heat helps balance the sweetness.
Add lemon at the end.Ā A little fresh lemon juice brightens the stew and balances the richness of the peanut butter. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more to taste.
No animals were harmed during the creation of this recipe!
