Domoda (Gambian Peanut Stew)

vegan, gluten-free, soy-free (potentially), refined sugar-free

Inspired by a dish at Bennachin restaurant in New Orleans and loosely based on Angela Liddon's recipe in The Oh She Glows Cookbook

I lived in New Orleans for five years, and I adore many of the restaurants there. One of my favorites is a small West-African restaurant called Bennachin that's tucked away in a quiet part of the French Quarter. My favorite dish there is Jama Jama Ni Makondo, consisting of sautéed spinach, fried plantains, and coconut rice, and I still have no idea how to make spinach taste that amazing! But this recipe comes close to another favorite dish, a Gambian peanut stew known as Domoda. It's rich and satisfying, and just a little bit spicy. Serve it atop some cooked rice and/or with bread or corn chips to make it a complete meal.

Serves: 6-8 / Prep time: 15 min / Total time: 45 min

Ingredients:​​

• 1-2 Tbsp oil
• 1/4 medium sweet onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2-inch chunk of ginger, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional)
• 1 medium sweet potato, chopped into 1/2-in cubes
• 1 14-ounce can tomato puree
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup natural peanut butter
• 4 cups vegetable broth or reconstituted buillon*
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed OR 1 extra firm block of tofu, drained and patted dry
• 2 handfuls baby spinach or destemmed, torn kale leaves

For Serving:

• Cooked rice (can be leftover rice)
• Fresh cilantro or parsley
• Roasted peanuts
• Bread or corn chips
  

Directions:

1. Prepare rice if serving stew over rice. 
2. Heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium heat in a large pot. Sauté onion until soft and translucent. Add garlic and ginger, and stir until fragrant.
3. Add the bell pepper, optional jalapeno, sweet potato, and tomato puree. Raise the heat to medium-high and simmer for 5 minutes more. Season the vegetables with salt and black pepper.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and 1 cup of the vegetable broth until no clumps remain. Stir the mixture into the vegetables along with the remaining 3 cups of broth, chili powder, cayenne, and optional chickpeas.
5. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is fork-tender.
6. ​Meanwhile, if you choose to add tofu, preheat cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat and slice block of tofu into bite-sized cubes. When hot, add 1 Tbsp oil and swirl to coat pan. Add tofu cubes and a dash of salt to the pan and fry, turning to cook evenly on all sides until golden. Set aside until stew is finished.
7. Stir in the spinach/kale and cook until just wilted. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add optional fried tofu to stew just before serving.
8. Ladle the stew into bowls over a scoop of cooked rice if desired, and garnish with cilantro or parsley and roasted peanuts.**

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*I love "Better than Bouillon" brand No Chicken Base or Vegetable Base.
**Leftovers will keep for several days in the refrigerator. The flavor gets even better on the 2nd day!