African Peanut Stew
by Brenda Langton, Tastemaker in Residence - Recipe and photo from BudgetBytes.com
Recipe and photo from BudgetBytes.com, a recipe blog showcasing affordable, scratch cooking. Total Cost: $12.32; cost per serving: $2.05; serves: 6 (1.5 cups each). Prices estimated by recipe author Beth Moncel and MCFM staff. For a heartier stew, add a scoop of rice or 1-2 cups cooked chicken.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp vegetable oil $0.02
4 cloves garlic $0.50
1 inch fresh ginger $0.50
1 medium (1 lb.) sweet potato, regular potato or turnip $2
1 medium onion $2
1 tsp cumin $0.10
¼ tsp crushed red pepper $0.02
1 (6oz.) can tomato paste $0.75
½ cup natural style chunky peanut butter $0.93
6 cups broth $4
½ bunch (2-3 cups chopped) collard greens, mustard greens or kale $1.50
¼ bunch cilantro, garnish (optional)
½ cup chopped peanuts, garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Peel and grate the ginger using a small holed cheese grater. Mince the garlic. Sauté the ginger and garlic in vegetable oil over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or until the garlic becomes soft and fragrant.
- Dice the onion, add it to the pot, and continue to sauté. Dice the sweet potato (1/2 inch cubes), add it to the pot, and continue to sauté a few minutes more, or until the onion is soft and the sweet potato takes on a darker, slightly translucent appearance. Season with cumin and red pepper flakes.
- Add the tomato paste and peanut butter, and stir until everything is evenly mixed. Add the vegetable broth and stir to dissolve the thick tomato paste-peanut butter mixture. Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat up to high.
- While the soup is coming up to a boil, prepare the collard greens. Rinse the greens well, then use a sharp knife to remove each stem (cut along the side of each stem). Stack the leaves, then cut them into thin strips. Add the collard strips to the soup pot.
- Once the soup reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and allow it to simmer without a lid for about 15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are very soft. Once soft, smash about half of the sweet potatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to help thicken the soup. Taste the soup and add salt if needed (will depend on the brand of broth used).
- Serve the stew over rice with a few cilantro leaves and chopped peanuts, if desired.