African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup

Maito's Note:

Adapted from the Moosewood cookbook for West African Groundnut Stew. Wine or other fruit and vegetable juices (example, apricot or tomato) would also work as substitutes for the liquids. Thanks to Brooke the Cook in WI for putting this recipe in her best of 2008 cookbook!

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 3

• 1/2 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1/2 cup onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 cups cabbage, shredded
• 1 sweet potato, diced
• 1 eggplant, diced (optional)
• 1 (15 ounce) can chicken broth or 1 (15 ounce) can vegetable broth
• 1 (15 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (5 1/2 ounce) can apple juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/2 lemon, juice of
• parsley
• cilantro
• peanuts
• coconut (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oil over medium high heat and add onions. Saute for a few minutes, until starting to show a little color.
2. Add garlic and ginger, and sauté a few more minutes. Stir in spices. Add cabbage, sweet potato, eggplant (if using), broth, tomatoes, apple juice, and salt.
3. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer, mostly covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Check sweet potatoes for doneness. Turn off heat, stir in peanut butter until melts, then add lemon juice to combine.
5. Serve topped with cilantro, parsley, and peanuts.

Reviews

[FLKeysJen]

The peanut butter makes this different than your "typical" cabbage soup. The sweet potatoes took about double the time to get cooked through but this was still quick to make and healthy too!

[AnniSeattle]

I used components of this recipe and the other Sweet Potato Soup at this site and incorporated some of the reviewer's comments, too. Added some cumin, garam masala, peas, pea pods, garbanzo beanschopped red bell pepper, lime juice, and baby spinach in place of cabbage and eggplant. I used an immersion blender just to thicken but not make it a smooth soup (Did this before I added green vegetables)It is delicious. I used vegetable broth so I could feed it to a vegetarian friend. I also used more peanut butter than this recipe called for.