Week 21: Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew

Cooking with Jane, Recipes, , , , ,

This week called for a hearty stew, to celebrate the sweetness of the sweet potatoes, and the versatility of all the greens we’ve been getting. This spicy peanut stew is just the ticket. It’s adapted from a NY Times recipe, and is a kind of ground nut/peanut stew, of which there are many kinds across mostly West Africa. I love it on top of rice and garnished with scallion greens.

More Magnificent Meal Musings:

Print

Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew

This recipe is adapted from a NY Times recipe.

Ingredients

  • 3-4 cups sweet potato peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 Tbsp peanut oil or just neutral oil if you don’t have any
  • 2 inches fresh ginger peeled and minced
  • 1 to 2 jalapeño chilies seeded and minced
  • 1 onion chopped
  • ⅓ cup tomato paste
  • 1 small (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups vegetable/chicken stock or water
  • ½ cup natural unsweetened peanut butter creamy or chunky
  • 1 bag spinach or 1 bunch swiss chard with ribs removed and chopped, or one bag baby kale
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ⅓ cup coarsely chopped green onion
  • Cooked rice for serving
  • Chopped roasted salted peanuts for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Add oil to pot and heat over medium-high heat. Add ginger and chilies and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Add spices and cook, stirring, 30 seconds more. Add onion and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and sweet potatoes and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
  2. Add diced tomatoes, stock or water, and a sprinkling of salt. Bring to a boil and cook 10-15 minutes, or until sweet potato is tender. Place peanut butter in a medium bowl, add one or two ladlefuls of hot soup, and stir until emulsified, then pour mixture back into soup.
  3. Reduce heat to a simmer, add spinach, cover and cook a few minutes, until spinach is cooked but still bright. Turn off heat and stir in lemon juice. Let cool slightly and taste; add salt if necessary. Serve in bowls with rice, garnished with green onion and chopped peanuts, if desired.