West African Peanut Stew

This stew can change the stereotypical image of vegan food. It’s the newest addition to my list of favorite dishes! Much thanks to Alissa who is an intern at work with her efforts developing this vegan dish and for providing us a sample. It was so good that I went back and begged for seconds and the recipe.

It’s not just a vegetable stew, which could sound like plain health food. Complex in flavors and textures, totally whipping a typical beef stew in a fight, it’s spicy, sweet, tart, salty, both creamy and crunchy. What I particularly like about this dish is the combination of tomatoes and peanut butter. I’ve never thought how well they could marry and this is where the sweet, tart, salty and creaminess come from. But truly each ingredient serve a purpose of imparting its own unique flavor and texture to the whole blend of the wonderful dish that none can be left out. It’s very nutritious, full of fiber, vitamins and minerals. It’ll not only keep you warm, but it will also satisfy your stomach for rest of the day. This is the original recipe Alissa shared with me with the modifications I made in parentheses.

Recipe of the Day - West African Peanut Stew

Ingredients (serves about 6-8):
2 c onions, chopped (used 1 large)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cayenne powder
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp ginger, minced
2 c cabbage, chopped (used 4 c savory cabbage)
1 c green bell pepper, chopped (used 2 c which was 1 whole pepper)
3 c sweet potato, peeled, cubed
3 c tomato juice
1 c apple juice
1 tsp salt
2-16 oz cans diced tomatoes in juice
2 c okra, chopped
1/2 c peanut butter (used natural crunchy kind)
Cilantro for garnish

In a large pot, sauté onions in oil for about 8 minutes. Stir in cayenne, garlic and ginger and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add cabbage, green pepper and cubed sweet potatoes and then cover for 3-4 minutes. Mix in tomato juice, apple juice, salt and tomatoes. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender. Stir in okra and peanut butter. Simmer on low-heat until ready to serve. If stew is too thick, add water or more juice if desired. Add more spices or salt to taste if desired. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy!