Easy West African Peanut Stew
A rich, comforting West African stew known as Maafe, featuring a creamy peanut butter base, tender sweet potatoes, and vibrant collard greens. It's a versatile dish that can be enjoyed with chicken or as a hearty vegetarian meal.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cubed (about 3 cups)
- 1 bunch collard greens stems removed
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes undrained
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 0.5 cup creamy peanut butter unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 0.5 teaspoon ground coriander
- 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- fresh cilantro chopped (for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
- If using chicken, add the chicken pieces to the pot and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. If making vegetarian, skip this step.
- Stir in the cubed sweet potatoes, chopped collard greens, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, ground cumin, ground coriander, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and let the stew simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender.
- In a small bowl, whisk the peanut butter with about 1/2 cup of the hot stew liquid until smooth. Stir the peanut butter mixture back into the pot.
- Continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes, uncovered, allowing the stew to thicken. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro if desired.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, omit chicken and add 1 can (15 oz) drained chickpeas or 8 oz firm tofu, cubed, at the same time you would add chicken. Serve with rice, fufu, or crusty bread. Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days and can be frozen for longer storage.