Sunday, January 21, 2007

West African Peanut Stew

Oh my goodness, was this a yummy recipe! I ate too much, because it was too good to stop.

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil (I think; I just swirled some in the bottom of the pot)
1 red onion, chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, diced (I used a lot more)
2 cups shredded cabbage
2 medium large sweet potatoes, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp grated fresh ginger (or more, if you like it a little spicier--I used more)
3 cups water
1 10 oz. bag frozen okra
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (again, more if you like it hotter)

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil until golden; add cabbage, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, ginger, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until the cabbage and potatoes are staring to soften, about 15 minutes. Add the okra (my Trader Joe's didn't have okra, so I used green beans instead), and then add the peanut butter a small amount at a time. Stir to melt the peanut butter before adding more. Add the cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes and then cover and cook until all of the veggies are tender, about 10 minutes. If needed, add water to keep it moist, but you don't want to let it get thin like soup.

I served over plain red cargo rice, and I had an apple on the side. It was so delicious and nutritious! You know, I cook a lot, and I can usually tell when I read a recipe if it will be good or not, but I am always surprised when new recipes turn out well. This, even though the vast majority of the time, new recipes turn out well for me; I know my abilities in the kitchen pretty accurately. This time, I had fairly high hopes, but they were still surpassed. This is one of the best new recipes I have tried in a while. I will have to make a blander version for the kids some time--I think they will like the idea of peanut butter in their stew.

4 comments:

Erin MacPherson said...

This sounds so amazing... I can't wait to try it. I love recipes like this. Thanks for sharing.

Laura said...

I love the way you share the recipes you try ... hope the project is still going well. Hope you haven't fallen to the "St. Louis creeping crud" so many seem to be suffering these days.May good sinus health be with you!

Susan said...

I sort of have the crud, Laura, with a totally yucky cough, but not so much with the runny nose, which I am so glad about. I haven't been cooking so much lately, because we have been busy and then I come home and just sort of collapse.

Erin, let me know if you try it!

Anonymous said...

This sounds delish! And who the hell gets creeped out by peanut butter in stew...? That's just crazy talk.

:)