G-Nut Special Sauce and Sweet Potatoes

Submitted by groovyrooby

"Peanuts (g-nut = groundnut = peanut) and onions and sweet potatoes! This salty-sweet dish is a Vegetarian Times reader recipe contest winner, submitted by Lauren Baker (adapted slightly here). My self-professed sweet potato hating husband requests this often, much to my amazement. The richness of the potato-peanut combo and the smooth-crunchy textures make this unusual Uganda-inspired meal in a bowl a real treat. And it all comes together so quickly you can be happily scarfing it down in no time!"

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Serves: 2

ingredients

• Special Sauce

• 1⁄2 cup vegetable broth (I double this to thin the sauce)
• 2 1⁄2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter (I use natural crunchy PB)
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced

• Sweet Potatoes

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 2 teaspoons peanut oil (I usually use olive oil)
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1⁄2 cup cooked chickpeas (I usually double this. We really like chickpeas.)
• 5 ounces fresh spinach
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1⁄4 cup roasted salted peanuts (I chop them up.)

directions

1. To make the sauce, combine broth, peanut butter, tomato paste, lemon juice, and garlic in a small pan and simmer over low heat 1-2 minutes.
2. Poke holes all over sweet potatoes with fork. Microwave on high 7-10 minutes, or until soft. Let cool in microwave. (I have cooked them this way, but I prefer to bake the potatoes in the oven at 375 for an hour prior to making - the day before, earlier in the week, whenever I know I can babysit the oven for an hour or so - and briefly reheat them when making this. They taste better & peel more easily.).
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion 4 minutes or until beginning to brown.
4. Add chickpeas and saute 2 minutes more.
5. Stir in spinach, reduce heat to low, and simmer 3-5 minutes or until spinach is wilted.
6. Scoop sweet potato flesh into bowl and mash with cumin, lemon juice, salt, and turmeric.
7. Divide sweet potato mixture between two bowls. Top with chickpea mixture and cover with sauce.
8. Garnish with peanuts and enjoy warm!

Reviews

[sugarpea]

Rich, intense and quite a different combination of foods we normally enjoy. This would easily serve four at my house-a little goes a long way.