Groundnut Stew

Also known as peanut stew, groundnut stew is a very famous African meal. Originally from Nigeria, but also well known in Cameroon, it’s a “back to basics” dish that is cost-effective, nutritious and excellent for meal preps. That said, my relatives have informed me that it’s very common to have this dish at celebrations such as weddings, birthdays and funerals in Cameroon. Traditionally, this recipe uses palm oil but being environmentally conscious, I’ve adapted this recipe and removed it – replacing it with an array of spices to pack that flavour back in, so you definitely won’t be missing out.

Growing up, we usually ate it for lunch or dinner with rice or boiled plantain. But in truth, you can eat it with literally anything. Potatoes, bread, couscous – get experimenting!

Last time I ate this dish, I was a young teen (between 12-14). With the help of my mum and aunties, I’ve learnt how to make this dish over multiple phone calls, so I can re-live my youth once again! This recipe is dedicated to them – and now I’m sharing it with you, to make it even more special!

Makes 4 portions

Groundnut soup

Gluten-free / vegan

Prep time: 20 mins plus cooling

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Groundnut paste

120g peanuts

1 tin of plum tomato (400g)

Tomato base

Stage 1 - Base:

·         ½ onion – finely chopped

·         1 tbsp of oil

Stage 2 - Spice blend:

·         1 tbsp paprika

·         ¼  tsp cayenne

·         ¼  tsp black pepper

·         1 tsp cumin

·         1 tsp thyme

·         ¼  Maggie cubes

·         1 bay leaf

Stage 3 – Tomato base

·         50ml of water with 1 stock cube 

·         Groundnut and tomato paste

·         13g tomato puree

Stage 4 - Herb mix:

·         2 cloves of garlic

·         25g ginger

·         12g parsley

·         ¼  red pepper

·         10g water

Prep work:

·         Weigh out all the spices in stage 3 in a small bowl

·         Blend all of the stage 4 ingredients

·         Mix the stock cube in with the 200ml of lukewarm water until fully dissolved.

Groundnut paste method:  

1.       Toast the peanuts in a frying pan on medium to high heat for 2 minutes. Stir continuously to prevent it from burning. Remove and leave to one side until completely cool (approx. 15mins).

2.       Once cooled, add it to a blender with 1 tin of plumb tomatoes and 120g toasted peanuts. Blend until it turns into a paste. You might need to scrape down the sides halfway through blending. Once complete, keep to one side ready for stage 3.

Finishing the stew method:

The tomato base can be made a day in advance ready for step 7 of this recipe.

3.       In a large pan on a medium-high heat, fry the onions with the oil for 3-5 minutes or until they go translucent.

4.       Add all the spices in stage 2, to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes. If the spices start to stick to the bottom of the pan, add a couple of tablespoons of veg stock.

5.       Add the groundnut and tomato paste, 13g tomato puree in stage 3 as well all of the pre-blended stage 4 ingredients. Mix well and let it cool down for 10 – 15 minutes on a medium-low temp. Every 5 minutes or so, add the veg stock to the mixture and stir it. Once all the veg stock is added, place a lid on top and let it cook for a further 15 – 20 minutes.

6.       Blend the mix using a hand blender until smooth. The dish is now ready to serve hot with either rice or yams.

Can be stored in a clean container and refrigerated for up to 3 days.  It can also be frozen – simply divide it into smaller portion containers and freeze. Thoroughly defrost in the fridge the night before use.