African groundnut sweet potato stew

Ingredients

• 2 cups/500 ml chopped onions
• 2 Tbsp/30 ml vegetable oil
• 3 cups/750 ml cubed sweet potatoes
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tsp/2 ml cayenne
• 2 tsp. /10 ml ginger
• 1 tsp./ 5 ml cumin
• 1 Tbsp/15 ml paprika
• 1 Tbsp/15 ml fenugreek (this can be difficult to find, if you can’t find it, let me know - I have quite a bit)
• 1 tsp/5 ml salt (or to taste)
• dash each cinnamon and clove
• 4 cups/1 liter fresh or canned tomatoes (you can use diced or crushed)
• 1 cup/250 ml apple juice or 1cup water with 1 Tbsp honey added (I usually add more water than this)
• 3/4 cup/185 ml chunky peanut butter
• 2 cups/500 ml sliced Jerusalem artichokes (optional - I haven’t added these as I don’t usually have them on hand)
• 3 cups/750 ml cabbage or other dark leafy greens, chopped

Directions

1. In a good sized deep cooking pot, sauté the onions in oil until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add sweet potatoes, garlic and cayenne ; sauté, covered for 5 minutes
3. Add all the other ingredients except the peanut butter, Jerusalem artichokes, and cabbage/greens. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer about 10 minutes.
4. Remove 1/2 to 1 cup (125 to 250 ml) of the hot liquid from the pot, and combine it with the peanut butter into a creamy paste. Add the thinned peanut butter, Jerusalem artichokes and greens to the pot and simmer until the vegetables are tender..
5. Add more liquid if the stew is too thick and adjust seasonings to taste.

Additional notes: I usually add more spices than the recipe calls for, probably double and for those who like things more on the spicy side - additional cayenne or other peppers are nice. This is supposed to be served with injera (the spongy, sour Ethiopian bread) but rice is a decent substitute.