West African Peanut Stew with Sweet Potato and Collards

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 6–8 minutes, until soft and golden at the edges.
2. Add the garlic, ginger and scotch bonnet and cook 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the tomato paste, coriander and paprika and stir 2 minutes, until the paste darkens to a rusty red.
3. Whisk 1 cup of the broth into the peanut butter in a bowl until smooth, then add it to the pot with the remaining broth. Stir until fully combined and bring to a simmer.
4. Add the sweet potatoes, chickpeas and salt. Simmer, partially covered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so the bottom does not catch, until the sweet potatoes are tender.
5. Stir in the collard greens and simmer 8–10 minutes more, until the greens are silky and the stew has thickened to a gravy-like consistency. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
6. Remove the scotch bonnet, stir in the lime juice and taste for salt. Serve over rice, topped with chopped peanuts and cilantro.

Kitchen tip

Use natural peanut butter (just peanuts and salt); sweetened brands make the stew cloying. Peanut sauces thicken as they sit, so loosen leftovers with a splash of water or broth when reheating. Kale, spinach or Swiss chard can stand in for collards; add spinach at the very end. For a more traditional maafe, swap the chickpeas for chunks of eggplant and cabbage added with the sweet potatoes.

General nutrition information, not medical advice. Talk to your own healthcare provider about your needs.