Maybe I should have called this the Recipe with the Veggies Everyone Loves to Hate. But why get off to a bad start when this vegan African Peanut Stew is so, so, so very good.
Although I bashed the okra and the eggplant there, these two veggies are actually top favorites in our home. Everyone loves them, including little Jay, and Desi would lap them up if I were to serve them for breakfast and dessert.
As for me, okra was my favorite vegetable growing up (in India they go by the rather Halloweeny name "lady's fingers"), and it was because my mom knew just how to make them: the little rounds of okra, roasted in a kadhai, or an Indian wok, would be tender, perfectly crisp, and would have no scary slime clinging to them. Okra has a rather neutral taste and a few simple spices, like red chilies and mustard seeds, would add incredible, subtle flavor. It was, quite simply, the most perfect vegetable dish.
To date that is my most favorite way to cook and eat okra, but sometimes I like to stray. One of my favorite okra recipes is this gluten-free vegan gumbo, which I make again and again. Now, I am adding this African Peanut Stew to that list.
Something strange happens to okra when it is boiled in a pot of liquid-- instead of becoming slimier, as you would expect it to, it thickens the stew and becomes perfectly tender and delicious. The eggplant, another reviled veggie, makes a perfect score in this stew too, becoming soft and rather melt-in-the-mouth. If you didn't like okra, or eggplant, or both, this is the stew to change your mind. Bringing all of this goodness together is the smooth creaminess of peanut butter and the garlicky, big bite of the Harissa paste.
If you still aren't convinced, here's what this recipe really boils down to: a delicious, bubbling pot of peanut butter with some incredible spices and veggies floating in it. Could you say no to that?
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African Peanut Stew with Eggplant and Okra
Ingredients
- 20 pods of okra, cut into thin rounds
- 10 small round eggplants, cut into a small dice (preferably, go for the small eggplants used in Indian cooking, or Japanese eggplants, which are very tender. If using Japanese eggplants, use five. The large variety is fine too, at a pinch-- use half of a large one in this recipe)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 green chili peppers like serrano or jalapeno (optional -- you also add Harissa at the the end and that has plenty of heat. If you had to pick one, pick the Harissa)
- 1 large sweet potato, diced
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 tomatoes, pureed
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste (tomato ketchup is a neat substitute-- you won't be able to tell the difference because this recipe already has some sweetness because of the peanuts)
- ¾ cup peanut butter (I like using smooth but use chunky by all means for more texture to your stew)
- ½ cup peanuts
- 5 cups vegetable stock. Use water at a pinch
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ cup Harissa paste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Powder the fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds and cumin seeds and set aside.
- In a large pot, heat the oil.
- Add the onions and saute over medium heat for about 7-8 minutes until they're soft.
- Add the ginger and stir to mix, about thirty seconds, then add the powdered spices and the tomato paste.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste is almost dry. Add the tomato puree, paprika, peanut butter and vegetable stock.
- Stir until everything's well combined. Add all the vegetables and peanuts and bring the stew to a boil.
- Cover, turn the heat to low, and let the stew cook 30 minutes or until all the vegetables are really tender. Add more water or vegetable stock if the stew gets really thick.
- Stir in the harissa, a little at a time, until you have the heat you desire. Add salt to taste.
- Serve hot with rice or quinoa.
Kathleen
I'm really enjoying this dish! For the spice, I did half a jalapeno and about two tablespoons of harissa. I did a diced carrot in place of the sweet potato. I used dried ginger instead of fresh, since I was too lazy to go to the store. I simmered for an hour, since I like my veggies very soft.
Vaishali
Sounds wonderful!
Nancy
I have made this recipe before and it was delicious! I have developed food sensitivities and I can't eat tomatoes (or tomato products) and I can't have eggplant. How would I modify this recipe? Just omit ingredients I can't have?
Vaishali
Hi Nancy, use any other veggie you like. Sweet potatoes would be awesome here.
Ti
So many ingredients. Can u suggest curry paste/ shortcuts. I am retired and getting to stores that carry some of these is difficult. Would be helpful if you could start with some recipes with less ingredients and build on these gradually. Harissa paste? How long would that sit around?
Jo
I am retired and disabled and make this dish all the time as its so easy. If shopping is a problem, you can order the spices on line. I always keep frozen okra, garlic and ginger to make life easier so I only have to chop the onion aubergine and sweet potato. I usually use tinned tomatoes too. It's delicious, nutritious and really easy to make. Not too much standing and shopping and only one pan to wash up. Give it a go 🙂
Vaishali
Hi Jo, thanks for the comment and the great tips!
Jenna
Awesome dish, I did sauté my vegetables separately in palm oil first and roasted my sweet potato’s and then added the veggies to the base. Also used chunky peanut butter and added a little extra for more flavor. This dish was delicious and allows you to make modifications to fit your taste buds.
Manning a Vegitarian in Training
I mostly cook with a presssure cooker now just because of time.
I sarted with a pot of white beans (1 cup beans which I pre soaked 8 hours, drain and add 2.5 cups of water and a small can of crushed tomatos then cook for 15 min.) to add a protein source.
Instead of all the individual spices I also went with 1TBS of regular curry powder and 1 TBS of hot curry powder 1 TBS of curry soup mix with cumin, and w/b mustard seed which I browned with 2 TBS of oil with the onion.
When the beans hit 15 min, I cooled them and added the eggplant and okara, closed it up and cooked for 10 min. More.
The result was outstanding, many thanks.
Supriya
Made it for dinner this week and the whole family loved it (including the “no eggplant” contingent). In rotation.
Dondi
Winner!!!
Elyse
This was incredible! I made it tonight for dinner and was seriously not disappointed! I was a bit worried cause peanut butter often signals “heavy,” but the other ingredients kept it lighter, but still hearty. Thank you! Excellent recipe.