African groundnut stew

Load up the old iPpod with some Fela or King Sunny Adé and you’ll have the perfect backdrop for cooking this West African favorite. I’ve made groundnut stew dozens of ways over the years, but I love my latest take. There’s something about the combination of sweet potatoes and greens that is particularly delicious – and nutritious. The black eyed peas are another traditional West African staple, and add an earthy flavor plus lots of protein.

This recipe is easy to play with to create your own favorite version of groundnut stew. For instance, carrots can take the place of the sweet potatoes, and cabbage or okra can replace the collards. Serve the stew with brown basmati rice or whole wheat couscous.

African Groundnut Stew

2 tablespoons organic canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 serrano or jalapeno peppers, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
½ teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
28-ounce can tomatoes in juice, diced (reserve the juice)
1 cup vegetable broth (use gluten-free variety if you are gluten-sensitive)
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 bunch collard greens, stems removed, leaves well chopped
½ cup natural peanut butter
1 15-ounce can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
½ cup chopped dry roasted peanuts
1 lime, cut into wedges

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot. Saute the onion, garlic, peppers and ginger over medium heat for 7-8 minutes. Add the cumin and cayenne, and cook one minute more. Add the tomatoes and their juice, broth, sweet potatoes and greens. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes.

Add peanut butter and black eyed peas and gently simmer 10 minutes longer, uncovered. Add the cilantro and season to taste. Garnish with peanuts and a squeeze of lime.

Serves 4-6